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After Sidhus, Joshi takes on govt
Malwa principals say Rs 400 too less a grant for uniform
No power cuts in Talwandi Sabo in run-up to bypoll
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Capt to decide on Patiala seat: Bajwa
AAP leaders interview candidates in Patiala
Badal prepares for ‘morcha’, his men for Sangat Darshan
Day after clash, uneasy calm in Moga village
Sutlej water quality falling sharply
‘Indecent’ act: Woman complains against DSP
Khaira submits complaint against Majithia to ED
Support swells for NGO on strike for better rail facilities
Addicts getting hooked on to treatment drug
De-addiction centre opens in Phagwara
Women guards prove their mettle in Assembly
Mob torches bus that hit auto ferrying kids
No hearing on plea against SGPC auditor's reinstatement
Set up ragging helpline, Mittal tells institutes
Akali Dal morcha a Sikh-vs-Sikh battle, feel religious leaders
SAD unwilling to take legal route
World Kabaddi Cup ridden with scams: Mann
2 IAS, 9 PCS shifted
MC slaps notices on 30 commercial units in Abohar
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After Sidhus, Joshi takes on govt
Amritsar, July 24 An irate Joshi didn't stop here and went on to serve the ultimatum to the government to withdraw the advance tax by Monday evening.
Joshi accused the officials of Excise and Taxation Department of misguiding the government on the issue. He said, "It is unjustified to collect tax on the stocks while it is still lying in the shops and the traders have not sold any of it." Taking a stiff stand against his own government, he exhorted the traders not to deposit any advance tax. He stated that while the government was yet to make tax refunds of crores, it was resorting to pressure tactics to recover further taxes from the traders. The BJP minister said he had earlier apprised Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal of the traders' demand and the government had even assured to withdraw the tax. He stated that "corrupt department officials were harassing the traders for their vested interests". He threatened that the traders would make public the names of the "corrupt" officials if they had to stage protest on Tuesday. Anil Mehra, a leading trader, said the government had implemented advance tax without even thinking whether it was feasible or not. He said it was practically not possible for the trading community to pay advance tax. "How can we pay taxes on goods even before selling them," he wondered. He said there was widespread resentment among the traders as their repeated pleas to withdraw advance tax had fallen on deaf ears. He also said that no other state in the country had introduced advance tax. Incidentally, Joshi is not the first BJP leader from Amritsar to have raised his voice against the state government. It was only last year that the then BJP MP from Amritsar Navjot Singh Sidhu had locked horns with the state government, particularly the Badals, whom he had accused of scuttling his pet projects for the holy city. He had also threatened to stage a dharna against the government, though he was later pacified. His wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu too had come out against the Akalis for "boycotting" her in her Assembly constituency. A few days back too, Dr Sidhu and senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla had vent their ire against the government over "indiscriminate chopping of trees" in Amritsar.
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Malwa principals say Rs 400 too less a grant for uniform
Bathinda, July 24 A communique from the office of the Director General, School Education, and Project Director of the SSA has pointed out that not even a single uniform had been distributed in Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur till July 11. The letter addressed to the District Education Officers stated that they had failed to file their compliance report in this regard by July 11. Orders have been given for distribution of uniforms by July 31. Schools are supposed to give uniform worth Rs 400 to schoolchildren. The scheme, earlier extended to Scheduled Caste students only, was extended to children of below poverty line families. Since a majority of students in government elementary schools belong to poor families, a number of schools offered the facility to everybody on the school rolls. However, in certain schools, a few children from very poor families, who belonged to upper castes, were left out. A cross-section of school heads are of the opinion that Rs 400 per uniform was too less to buy a decent uniform. Kamaljit Majithia, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Jethunangal (Amritsar), said, “We have received the amount. However, we have not been able to purchase as it is impossible to buy a school uniform, including shoes and socks, of decent material, within the prescribed amount.” Bathinda District Education Officer (Elementary) Shiv Pal Goyal said, “We started releasing the money for uniforms to schools last week. However, we have not yet received any reports on distribution of uniforms. I am of the opinion that Rs 400 was being paid as a token amount only. Villagers and financially well-off families should come forward and contribute to the school funds for uniforms.” Sukhjeet Singh, Principal, GSSS, Chhala (Gurdaspur), said, “The government should consider revising the amount so that we can provide decent school uniform to children.”
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No power cuts in Talwandi Sabo in run-up to bypoll
Bathinda, July 24 Moreover, the state has also ensured that farmers receive power for eight hours for their tube wells. The SAD-BJP has been preparing for the bypoll ever since sitting Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu resigned on March 6 and joined the SAD. The government has also provided more power connections to people in the area by spending Rs 3 crore. Not abiding by its own policy, the state government has provided power connections to around 75 clusters, with less than five houses in each cluster. The state has spent a lot on installing transformers, electric poles and other infrastructure to provide power to such clusters. As per the norms, the government bears the cost of supplying power to a cluster of five houses or more, while in other clusters, residents have to bear the cost of providing the connections. Earlier, the 66 KV grids at Nangla, Rama, Bangi, Jagaram, Sangat, and Pakka under the PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited) supplied regular power to the Talwandi Sabo constituency. However, on the directions of senior officials, the 132 KV grid in Maur and the 220 KV grid in Talwandi under the PSTCL (Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited) too started providing power to Talwandi Sabo constituency from Thursday. Jiwan Kansal, PSTCL Executive Engineer, said, “I do not know how much money is the process costing the government.” PSTCL Senior Engineer Inderjit Garg said he was not aware of the matter and that they would look into the issue if they received a complaint. Flouting norms *n As per the norms, the government bears the cost of supplying power to a cluster of five houses or more, while in other clusters, residents have to shell out money *
In Talwandi Sabo, the state has spent a lot on installing transformers and other infrastructure to provide power to clusters with less than five houses
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Capt to decide on Patiala seat: Bajwa
Chandigarh, July 24 While the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has already pitted former Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu as its candidate from Talwandi Sabo, the Punjab Congress is likely to make a formal announcement regarding its candidates for Patiala and Talwandi Sabo in a day or so. The Patiala Assembly seat had fallen vacant as Capt Amarinder Singh had quit the Assembly after being elected Member Parliament from Amritsar, the by-election was necessitated at Talwandi Sabo as former Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu had switched sides and joined the SAD in the run-up to the Parliamentary elections. Sources in the Punjab Congress said the party state unit had shortlisted names of Perneet Kaur from Patiala and Harminder Singh Jassi from Talwandi Sabo even as the final decision was likely to be taken by the Congress high command on Friday. “The decision regarding the Patiala seat has been left to Capt Amarinder Singh. The candidate will be of his choice. We have shortlisted names of Perneet Kaur and Jassi so far. The final announcement is likely to be made by the party high command on Friday,” said PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa.
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AAP leaders interview candidates in Patiala
Patiala, July 24 In the absence of Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, senior party leader Jarnail Singh, who was AAP’s Lok Sabha candidate from West Delhi, and Kultar Singh, Giani Zail Singh’s grandson, visited the city today. They interacted with all the 10 candidates who had applied for the ticket. The interviews began around 10 am. Though Jarnail Singh and Kultar Singh did not disclose any details, sources said Dr Balbir Singh and Yaswant Sharma were the frontrunners in the contest. The conveners claimed that they would now give their feedback to the party’s high command, which will announce the candidate shortly. Meanwhile, party’s founder member Kundan Gogia, who had announced to contest as an Independent, chose to stay away from meeting. He said the party had lost its vision. “Since the party suffered a drubbing in the LS poll, I am not sure if we will be able to beat our rivals in this bypoll,” said one of the interviewees. Jarnail Singh said the party was bigger than any individual and the party would not succumb to any vested interests of any individual. Cong: Shift MC Commissioner *
Patiala: The Patiala unit of the Congress is up in arms against the newly appointed Municipal Corporation Commissioner Indu Malhotra. She has been posted here for the upcoming bypoll. Party leaders say the officer will help the ruling alliance. The Congress is thinking of filing a complaint with the Election Commission. On the other hand, Indu claims she is "impartial and transparent" in her working. Pay Rs 10,000 to dine with Kejriwal *
Sangrur: At least 50 persons will have dinner with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal at hotel Red Apple Residency on Sangrur-Patiala road tomorrow. They have reportedly paid Rs 10,000 each to attend the event. The event has reportedly been planned to "collect money" for the three-day meeting of the party national executive. The meet will be held at Sunam from July 25 to July 27.
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Badal prepares for ‘morcha’, his men for Sangat Darshan
Lambi (Muktsar), July 24 Accompanied by a large number of SAD activists, the SGPC executive committee member-cum-Chairman, Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation, Dyal Singh Kolianwali, OSD to CM Gurcharan Singh and some senior officials of the district administration today held meetings in seven villages to prepare the lists of demands for the Sangat Darshan. Badal had recently skipped the Budget Session of the Assembly, and had preferred to go and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to convince them against the HSGMC. He had also announced that he would be the first to court arrest against the formation of the separate panel. The SAD and SGPC leaders held meetings at Aspala, Sarawan Bodla, Gurusar, Burj Sidhwan, Dabwali Dhab, Shamkhera and Kolianwali. Even the villagers were astonished when the SAD leaders said they had come to listen to their problems before the CM’s scheduled Sangat Darshan. Kolianwali said, “The CM will come very shortly to redress your problems. We have come here to make a note of your issues and present it before Badal ‘saab’.”
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Day after clash, uneasy calm in Moga village
Sada Singh Wala (Moga), July 24 At least three policemen were injured while trying to pacify the two groups yesterday. Though a heavy posse of police has been deployed, tension is apparent among the residents of Sandhu Patti and Gill Patti. The residents of Gill Patti alleged that the Irrigation Department was supposed to lay pipelines in an area of 20 to 25 metres for the disposal of stagnant rainwater from their fields, but no one turned up for the task today. Harpreet Singh and Jagdeep Singh, two youths of the village, said they had taken 10 acres of land on lease at Rs 45,000 per acre but they had lost all paddy plants transplanted in this area. The pipeline has been proposed to link their fields to the drain. The residents of Sandhu Patti and officials of the local administration are reportedly not allowing them to drain out the water. The administration has even deployed police at one corner of the fields to prevent the villagers from draining out the water. Ram Singh, a panchayat member, and residents Kuldip Singh and Manjinder Singh alleged that two ‘granthis’ (priests) of the village, Mukhtiar Singh and Surjit Singh, who had been living at the houses of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia in New Delhi and performing prayers for them, were behind the controversy. The trio alleged that since the houses of these ‘granthis’ and a village gurdwara managed by them were situated on the Sandhu Patti side and adjoining the village drain, they were not allowing the excess rainwater to pass from that route. When contacted, both Mukhtiar and Surjit admitted that they did perform prayers for the Badal Junior and Majithia, but “they had never interfered in village politics”. “Some notorious people are intentionally using our names to defame Sukhbir and Majithia. Both the sides should sit together and solve the issue amicably,” Mukhtiar said. Further, it has come to light that instead of draining out waste water in the local drain, pipelines were twice laid in a distance of 2.5 km on the main road leading to the village to discharge water in the drain of an adjoining village. But due to a technical error, these pipelines were uprooted, resulting into wastage of lakhs of rupees. The uprooted pipelines, mostly in broken condition, were lying in the stadium, a portion of which was also submerged. The village people alleged that Mukhtiar and Surjit impressed upon Sukhbir to lay these “faulty” pipelines to prevent water from discharging in the local drain. Due to this problem, a major portion of the government elementary school, including the toilets, and a few adjoining houses were submerged in the rainwater, thus posing health risk to the students. What the 'granthis' say We do perform prayers for Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Majithia but they have never interfered in village politics. Some notorious people are intentionally using our names to defame Sukhbir and Majithia… Both the sides should resolve the issue amicably — Mukhtiar Singh and Surjit Singh, granthis
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Sutlej water quality falling sharply
Chandigarh, July 24 The water of the river has been degrading by each passing day despite the installation of five sewage treatment plants
(STPs) in Ludhiana under the SAP and the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. The report said the Punjab Pollution Control Board
(PPCB) had failed to conduct periodical inspection of polluting industries and monitor the quality of ground water. As many as 1,022 polluting industries were operating without the board’s approval, it said. For the prevention and control of water pollution, the SAP and the West Bein Action Plan were approved under the National River Conservation Plan by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for Rs 229.38 crore and Rs 14.97 crore in 1995 and 2001, respectively. As many as, eight STPs were installed in six towns —
Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Phagwara, Phillaur, Kapurthala, and Sultanpur Lodhi — situated on the banks of the Sutlej and its tributary West
Bein. The NRCP was later extended to 11 towns at a cost of Rs 502.64 crore. Besides, the Punjab Government had prepared an action plan for cleaning the Budha
Nullah. But all these measures failed to curtail pollution of the Sutlej and improve the quality of ground water, the report said. The report observed that the risk to human health due to water pollution was not assessed by the
PPCB. “The water-borne disease cases recorded a huge rise of 595 per cent from 39,781 in 2008 to 2,76,393 in 2012,” said the CAG report on social, general and economic sectors. It said the PPCB’s records showed that Budha Nullah was a major source of river water pollution as it was carrying about 550 MLD effluent emanating from dying and other industries into the Sutlej despite formulation of an action plan worth Rs 615 crore for cleaning the Budha
Nullah, demarcation of land, removal of encroachments, desilting and construction of common effluent treatment plants. Action plan ineffective *
To check water pollution, the Sutlej and the West Bein Action Plan were approved under the National River Conservation Plan in 1995 and 2001, respectively *
As many as, eight STPs were installed in six towns situated on the banks of the
Sutlej * The scheme was later extended to 11 towns at a cost of Rs 502.64
crore * However, all these measures failed to curtail pollution of the Sutlej
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‘Indecent’ act: Woman complains against DSP
Ropar, July 24 The woman, in her complaint lodged with Ropar Deputy Commissioner Tanu
Kashyap, alleged that the DSP thereafter sent a few messages on her mobile phone as well. The Deputy Commissioner said she had forwarded the complaint to Ropar SSP Varinder Paul Singh. The SSP said the woman along with her husband had met him on July 17 and informed about the incident. “I asked the couple to lodge a written complaint, but they refused. I handed over the inquiry regarding their matrimonial dispute to the SP, headquarters, and informed about the incident to the Deputy Inspector General,” he said. Now, the woman had lodged a written complaint and an inquiry into the allegations had been marked to the SP, Headquarters, he added. The complainant alleged that the DSP asked her to appear before him on July 16 and she went to his office with her father. The DSP asked her father to sit outside and then came near her and tried to hold her hand on the pretext of expressing sympathy towards her, she alleged. The same day, he sent her a few messages on phone, she
claimed. Lakhbir Singh denied the allegations: “I used harsh words to bring the couple to a compromise. After getting together, they have started maligning my image.” “The messages received by the woman were meant for some other person, who was her namesake,” he said.
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Khaira submits complaint against Majithia to ED
Jalandhar, July 24 Later, addressing a press conference, Khaira claimed, “As per the details provided to me by a very senior officer working in the financial investigation unit (FIU) of the Punjab Police, Majithia had received Rs 70 lakh from Rohit Goyal, alias Pinky, a courier of Gurmeet Manchanda in Chandigarh on April 18, 2011. The FIU, while intercepting mobile number of Pinky, traced the delivery of Rs 70 lakh to Majithia at his mobile number.” The Congress leader said though the FIU should have arrested Pinky and investigated the matter, the top brass of the FIU “succumbed to political pressure” and made no further investigations, nor did they inform the ED. “If the FIU had investigated it, there is not any iota of doubt that the transaction would have been exposed as part of the drug/hawala money received by the minister from Manchanda,” he added. Khaira said the “receipt” brought to the fore grave Foreign Exchange Management Act violations, which needed to be investigated to unearth a larger money-laundering nexus.
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Support swells for NGO on strike for better rail facilities
Fazilka, July 24 Social organisations, political parties and people from different walks of life have extended their support to the strike. Beopar Mandal, Fazilka, local pressmen and leading NGO Social Welfare Society have also offered to sit on the fast. Members of the Northern Railway Passengers Samiti, Guruharsahai branch of Ferozepur district, sat on the strike today to express their solidarity with the striking Fazilka residents for better railway services on the Fazilka-Ferozepur track. The Block Congress Committee, Fazilka, led by former Congress MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa, also participated in the strike yesterday. Dr Amar Lal Baghla, convener, Sanjha Morcha, said a large number of NGOs had registered their name with the morcha for taking part in the strike. It would continue till their long-pending demands regarding Railways were not fulfilled, said Baghla. The agitators have been demanding setting up of a washing line in Fazilka for the maintenance of the trains here. There was a washing line in Fazilka till the Fazilka-Rewari meter gauge track was converted into broad gauge about four decades ago. No train could be allowed to start from Fazilka without the washing line facility. They have also sought more trains on the Fazilka-Abohar track constructed at the hefty amount of over Rs 250 crore. “The Chandigarh-Ferozepur express train announced in the Railway Budged should also be extended up to Fazilka,” demanded Baghla.
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Former PM in Amritsar tomorrow
Amritsar, July 24 Talking to The Tribune, his brother Surjeet Singh Kohli said Manmohan Singh would pay obeisance at the Golden Temple on Sunday morning. Later, he would attend a wedding ceremony in the afternoon before flying back to New Delhi the same evening. The former PM will be staying at the Circuit House on Saturday night. Security agencies are already on their toes as the SPG and the police officials today held a meeting with the SGPC officials to deliberate on the arrangements for his visit. The city police is taking all measures to have a tight security in place, particularly in view of the fact that the ruling SAD is also holding its conclave in Amritsar over the HSGMC row the same day. Around 2,500 police personnel would be deployed and special
'nakas' would be put up in the city. Top police officials also visited the Manji Sahib Diwan Hall, the venue of the SAD conclave, today. His itinerary *
Former PM Manmohan Singh would pay obeisance at the Golden Temple on Sunday *
He would attend a wedding ceremony in the afternoon before flying back to New Delhi the same evening *
He will be staying at the Circuit House on Saturday night
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Addicts getting hooked on to treatment drug
Bathinda, July
24 “Many times, some patients who are willing to take medicine as a substitute for opium, poppy husk or other drug consume more quantity of tramadol to satisfy their addiction. Old patients come with a new slip and claim they are new. Sometimes patients claim they are more addictive to opium or other drugs than what they actually are so as to take more dose of
tramadol,” said Dr Inderveer Kalra, psychiatrist at Bathinda Civil Hospital. Hospitals are also witnessing an increase in the number of women seeking treatment. “Women are increasing in number with an average of two patients everyday. Even young girls are addictive to smack. Most of the women seeking treatment are labourers and the unavailability of poppy husk has driven them to seek treatment,” Dr Nidhi Gupta, a psychiatrist at the hospital. Over 300 patients are being treated at the Bathinda Civil Hospital daily by two psychiatrists. Patients from other districts are also coming here for medicines. Seizures in Bathinda 2012: 145.8 kg poppy husk, 1.6 kg ganjha and 11,000 tablets recovered from women drug peddlers 2013: 757 cases registered in Bathinda and 912 men and 68 women arrested. Over 355kg poppy husk, 43 litres of narcotic liquid, 1kg of ganjha, and 4,860 tablets recovered Seizures in Mansa 2012: 30 cases registered and 36 woman drug peddlers arrested. Over 265 gm smack, 500 gm opium, 334 kg poppy husk, and 28,463 intoxicated tablets recovered 2013: 32 cases were registered and 35 woman drug peddlers were arrested
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De-addiction centre opens in Phagwara
Phagwara, July 24 He announced that the Punjab Government had slashed the blood processing charges in all government hospitals and the old rates of blood units had been revived. He said the state government was committed to making the state drugs free in the next two years and was planning a rehabilitation programme to ensure a dignified life for drug addicts. He said the government would set up 22 rehabilitation centres in the state.
—OC
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Women guards prove their mettle in Assembly
Chandigarh, July 24 This “women power” is being credited with the relatively peaceful session of the state Assembly, where there was no direct hand-to-hand struggle between the members and the “marshals”. This power is unique as it has so far not been seen in Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir or any other northern state. It displayed its force by forming a human chain, making the front of the two or three rows of the watch and ward staff, and standing firmly between the Well of the House and the dais on which the Speaker sits. They came from a corner of the Assembly, arms locked and running sideways, whenever the staff chief gestured seeing trouble arising from the Opposition camp. While earlier, MLAs and the men from the watch staff struggled physically to outdo each other, MLAs were helpless this time before the women human chain as any misdemeanour could put them in an embarrassing situation. “It is a clever deploy. During the last Assembly session, there was quite a ruckus and some members attempted to reach the chair of the speaker. Some were injured too. Then the plan of deploying women constables was floated. Women power *
Women constables used to form a chain, making the front of the two or three rows of the 'watch and ward staff', and stand firmly between the Well of the House and the dais on which the Speaker sits *
While earlier MLAs and male guards struggled physically to outdo each other, MLAs were helpless this time before the women human chain as any misdemeanour could put them in an embarrassing situation.
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Mob torches bus that hit auto ferrying kids
Pathankot, July 25 The driver of the auto, Raju Mahajan, was taken to the Civil Hospital where he was declared “brought dead”. Eyewitnesses claimed that the autorickshaw was ferrying the children of Shaheed Makhan Singh School at Pathankot from Sarna, 10 km from the city. The private bus was reportedly being driven rashly, following which the driver lost control near Mallikpur. The bus reportedly collided head on with the autorickshaw. A case has been registered at the Sadar police station against the bus driver, who managed to flee after the accident. Senior Superintendent of Police RK Kaushal said the miscreants who had burnt the private bus had also been identified and a case would be registered against them. Shubham, the son of the driver of the bus, Raju Mahajan, was one of the critically injured and is admitted to the Civil Hospital. There were a total of 10 students, including Shubham and nine other girls, who were in the overcrowded auto-rickshaw.
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No hearing on plea against SGPC auditor's reinstatement
Amritsar, July 24 Commission chairman MS Brar said, "The petition didn't have important documents attached to it. Among them are the SGPC executive's resolution for the dismissal of Kohli and his reinstatement order. We cannot hear a case merely on the basis of clippings of media reports attached with the plea." SAD Panch Pardhani leader Baldev Singh Sirsa had filed the petition a couple of days ago, seeking the dismissal of Kohli. In his petition, Sirsa has also sought the dismissal of SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh for allegedly violating norms. According to him, Kohli was sacked on July 16 following the orders of the SGPC executive, but he was reinstated within a day on Makkar's order. He contended that Makkar had no power to overturn the decision taken by the SGPC executive committee as he himself chaired the committee meeting. Makkar too is a part of the executive. "Both Makkar and Dalmegh have clearly flouted the norms and therefore they too should be dismissed," he said. Besides, his petition also sought the recovery of "every single penny" paid to the auditor since 2009 as the money came from 'Guru ki
Golak'.
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Set up ragging helpline, Mittal tells institutes
Chandigarh, July 24 Madan Mohan Mittal, Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister, said if any student was found ragging a junior, he/she would be immediately rusticated and the guilty would be booked. He also asked Principal Secretary of the department to establish a helpline at the headquarters, where students may lodge their complaints if their grievances were not redressed at the institutes. He also asked the department to depute senior officials to randomly check if complaints were being disposed in time. The minister also ordered the educational institutions to take written undertaking from the students and their parents, stating that they would not take part in ragging. — TNS
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Akali Dal morcha a Sikh-vs-Sikh battle, feel religious leaders
Amritsar, July 24 Veteran Akali leader Manjeet Singh Calcutta, who has closely witnessed the Akali politics for the past many years, said, “The Akalis had put up a morcha to free the gurdwaras from the clutches of ‘mahants’ and the British during the pre-Independence days. However, now they are gearing up for a ‘morcha’ against their own Sikh brothers and that too for retaining the control of Haryana gurdwaras.” He asked as to why the Sikhs in Haryana could not manage the affairs of their shrines if those in Delhi could do. He rejected the SAD’s argument that it was a ‘morcha’ against the Congress. “The Congress may have resorted to vote bank politics by constituting the HSGMC ahead of the Assembly elections but at the same time, we must also understand that the party did it only because it was the wish of Haryana Sikhs too. If the Haryana Sikhs didn’t want it, the Congress would not have taken the risk of alienating the Sikh votes by forming the HSGMC,” he added. Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagrian said it was wrong to project it as a ‘panthic’ issue as it was in fact an “internal matter of the panth”. He said, “We should not forget that the second side in the row is as much part of the Sikh panth as the first is.” He said the SAD should not arouse ‘panthic’ emotions and denigrate the situation. “The ruling party should specify whether it is a secular or a communal party,” he said. “The Punjab Government is accusing Bhupinder Singh Hooda regime of meddling in Sikh issues, but isn’t the Punjab Government also interfering in the SGPC affairs?” he asked. Meanwhile, the SAD conclave in Amritsar on July 27 seems to have triggered a race as the SAD (Amritsar) has announced to hold a parallel conclave in the city on the same day. The HSGMC has already stated that it will also hold a conference in Haryana on July 28. Besides, a group of organisations comprising United Sikh Movement, SAD (Delhi) and Dal Khalsa will be holding a ‘panthic’ conference in Chandigarh on August 4 to deliberate on the situation arising out of the constitution of the HSGMC. United Sikh Movement chief Bhai Mohkam Singh said representatives of Takht Shri Patna Sahib Board, Takht Shri Hazur Sahib Board and Pakistan SGPC, besides Sikh leaders from other states would also participate in the convention. He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was a veteran leader and he should tread on the path of negotiations rather than resorting to confrontation with the Sikhs in Haryana. Similarly, SAD (Amritsar) secretary general Jaswant Singh Mann said their parallel conclave in Amritsar would discuss ways to ensure unity among Sikhs and stop infighting among the community members. “It is unfortunate that a faction of Sikhs is planning to hold a ‘morcha’ against the other faction of the community members,” he added.
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SAD unwilling to take legal route
Chandigarh, July 24 The general perception is that the reason for the Akali Dal and SGPC’s unwillingness to take legal recourse is that they want to fight a political battle on the issue and make it a “panth versus Congress” fight. The Akali leadership is actually relying on the Government of India to move the apex court and seek judicial intervention in the matter and get it listed for urgent hearing. The Haryana Government has carved a separate HSGMC by taking the plea that it had the right to do so under the Re-organisation Act of 1966, which besides a separate Sikh body, also allowed for the creation of a separate university and a Wakf Board. The latter bodies were formed by Haryana earlier and the Wakf Board was approved by the state legislature only. In fact, one of the reasons why the Akalis and the SGPC do not want to go to the court is that the party and the Punjab Government had itself admitted in the court that the Sikh Gurdwara Board/ SGPC were covered by Entry 32 of List II (state list) and are not covered by Entry 44 of List I (Union List) 7th Schedule. In 1999, when then Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission president Kashmir Singh Patti was removed and had filed a writ in the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging his removal, the state government (headed by Parkash Singh Badal) had taken a stand that religious corporations are covered under the state list. This stand was accepted by a five member constitutional bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was later also confirmed by the Supreme Court, while dismissing the appeal filed by Kashmir Singh. Now even as the SGPC and the Akali Dal wait for Centre’s intervention before they announce their “morchas” against the formation of a separate Sikh gurdwara management body, they are going all out to ensure that the World Sikh Conference on July 27 is a success. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar told The Tribune that they had asked the SGPC leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan to get maximum sangat to Amritsar on July 27. “We are expecting lakhs of devotees to reach Amritsar and give us the mandate to launch an agitation against the Congress government of Haryana for trying to divide the Sikhs,” he said, reiterating that they would go by the decision of the sangat rather than approaching court.
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World Kabaddi Cup ridden with scams: Mann
Sangrur, July
24 In support of his claim, Mann today produced some Kabaddi players before the
mediapersons, who claimed that 162 players had been charged Rs 30,000 for a dope test. The dope test usually costs Rs 5,000. They said a representative of World Kabaddi League organisers took the amount. The players alleged they were not selected even though they had cleared the tests and the trials. They further alleged that they were misinformed that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had conducted their dope tests. Mann said the selection of players for the World Kabaddi League was not held on the basis of merit. The allegations *
He said 162 players had been charged Rs 30,000 for a dope test, which usually costs Rs 5,000 *
The players alleged they were not selected even though they had cleared the tests and the trials *
They further alleged that they had been misinformed that the World Anti-Doping Agency had conducted their dope tests.
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Chandigarh, July 24 The PCS postings are: Rajiv Prashar, Additional State Transport Commissioner; Harjit Singh Kandhola, Director, Governance Reforms, in addition to Special Secretary, Governance Reforms; Amrit Kaur Gill, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Ludhiana; Neeru Katyal Gupta, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana; Moneesh Kumar, Joint Principal Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister, in addition to Deputy Excise & Taxation Commissioner, Ludhiana; Sukhjeet Pal Singh, Deputy Director, Welfare of SCs and BCs, in addition SDM, Kharar; Amandeep Kaur-II, Executive Magistrate, Amritsar; Damandeep Kaur, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Jalandhar, and Amarjit Singh as SDM, Garhshankar. — TNS
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MC slaps notices on 30 commercial units in Abohar
Abohar, July 24 The MC had been a mute spectator to hundreds of violations concerning building bylaws for past many decades. During the hearing of a PIL on alleged violation of laws by the promoters of a mall complex on the Circular Road here, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed council executive officer
(EO) Bhushan Singh Rana to provide the list of his predecessors to ascertain why they had turned a blind eye to the construction of hundreds of buildings. The HC also asked the EO to explain as to what action the council was going to take against such buildings. The petitioner had alleged that the promoters of the centrally located mall had not provided space for parking and vehicles were being parked on road. The ground floor of the mall had also been given on rent to different business houses. A hotel was being run on the second floor but there was no provision for parking. This choked traffic in the heart of the town daily. The promoters had, however, refuted the allegations. MC officials said notices had been issued to 30 businesspersons, including Pushpa
Rani, Rajesh Kumar, Rajan Bhateja, Ramesh Kumar, Inder Mohan, Pawan Kumar, Satya
Narain, Mohinder Pratap, Anju Rani, Janak Raj, Kamlesh Kumari, Nikhil Jain, Daleep Kumar,
Sumit, Rajinder Sewata, Praveen Rani, Vikram Kataria, Som Parkash, Subhash
Chander, Noora Anu, Swarana, Hans Raj, Mangat Rai Bathla, Prem Pal Bathla, Mohinder
Kaur, Naveen Kumar, Kapil and Vinod Rani Singla. Acting tough *
The High Court has directed council executive officer
(EO) Bhushan Singh Rana to provide the list of his predecessors to ascertain why they had turned a blind eye to the construction of hundreds of buildings *
It also asked the EO to explain what action the council was to take against such buildings
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eems Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi is on collision course with the state government as he today threatened to lead a traders' protest against the state government over the issue of advance tax on stocks.
Though Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is preparing to launch an agitation ‘morcha’ against the formation of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
(HSGMC), Akali workers in his home constituency Lambi have been making arrangements for his Sangat
Darshan.
The quality of water of the Sutlej is deteriorating at a fast pace as the much-publicised Sutlej Action Plan (SAP) has failed to yield any result, said a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
(CAG) of India. The water of the river has been degrading by each passing day despite the installation of five sewage treatment plants
(STPs) in Ludhiana under the SAP and the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.
Sukhpal Khaira, PPCC spokesman, has submitted a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate (ED),
Jalandhar, against Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia for allegedly having received hawala money to the tune of Rs 70 lakh from money-launderer Gurmeet
Manchanda, an accomplice of “drug lord” Jagdish Bhola, presently lodged with him at Nabha jail.
After meeting a delegation of the traders at his camp office here, Joshi told them not to stage any protest till Monday while assuring them his full support on the issue. He even stated that the public had made him a minister and if he had to sacrifice his post, "he would not hesitate to do so for the people's cause".