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Govt yet to approve trials for GM crops
Students clash in Muktsar; minor dead
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HSGMC: Will hit back at right time, says Badal
SGPC to continue hold on Haryana shrines: Makkar
Now, trouble brewing for SGPC at Hazur Sahib
Patiala and Talwandi Sabo bypoll
AAP cancels party ticket to Balkar Sidhu
Cong, SAD candidates file papers in Talwandi Sabo
Amarinder asks Congress workers to pull up socks
AAP’s Adaltiwala files papers amid fanfare
sad-bjp rift widening?
Poor rainfall: MPs Ghubaya, Bittu seek special assistance
SC students allege principal biased in awarding marks
Paper mill tanker caught unloading waste into canal
Officers reprimanded by Debt Recovery Tribunal
Border farmers protest, seek compensation
Govt school collects PTA funds from students, inquiry on
Patiala school 1st choice of meritorious students
Vocational courses in schools
Symbolic last rites of 1857 martyrs performed in Ajnala
17 IPS officers promoted
State can’t afford to lose battle against drugs: HC
service matters
Held for drug smuggling, BSF man handed over to police
4 held for beating bank officials
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Govt yet to approve trials for GM crops
Chandigarh, August 1 After approval from the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation
(RCGM), Department of Bio-technology, Union Government, a multinational company had approached PAU to carry out contained field trials for maize and cotton. These are technically called bio-safety research Level-I trials. The university's bio-safety committee had cleared the proposal to hold the trials. However, the state government is yet to ratify these trials this year. Earlier, such trials have been held for Bt cotton and also maize. A controversy regarding genetically modified crops is raging at the national level. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch of the RSS and the Left parties are opposed to such trials. They contend that these are not in the interest of the farmers and could have an adverse impact on people's health. They also argue that the move would eventually lead to a monopoly of multi-national companies. This could spell doom for countries like India where farming was the principal vocation of a majority of people. Asked in this regard, national general secretary of the
manch, Kashmiri Lal, said such trials had been strongly opposed by the standing committee of Parliament. A section of experts were also opposed to genetically modified crops. “We met Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javedkar recently. He assured us that before allowing further trials for GM crops, the government would hold talks with to all stake-holders. He told us that the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee
(GEAC) has not given any fresh approval for commercial production or sale of GM crops,” Kashmiri Lal said. It is learnt that the PMO is pushing for holding such trials.
The apprehensions
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Students clash in Muktsar; minor dead
Muktsar, August 1 Despite a ban on student union elections in the state for over three decades, Amarjit Singh Sandhu, a BCA-I student of the college, got some posters pasted on the college campus declaring him the president of the student union.
As soon as Amarjit and his supporters came to the college raising slogans and brandishing swords and batons in their vehicles, the other group, allegedly led by Vishal Kumar of Bhullar Colony, challenged them. A firing ensued and a bullet hit Gurjeet Singh, a student of Class XII, who was sitting on the rear seat of a Swift car at that time. He was taken to the Civil Hospital where the doctors declared him "brought dead". Gurjeet hailed from Chak Modi Khera village in Abohar sub-division of Fazilka district. Some policemen were deployed in and around the college since morning, but they failed to control the situation. College staff said student groups declare one of their members as the self-styled president of the college after the formal beginning of the new academic session every year. Mridula Singla, Principal in charge of the college, said, "Some students pasted a few posters on the college campus regarding the student union president. As soon as they moved out, another group fired on them, leading to the death of a youngster. The deceased was not even a student of the college." "The incident took place outside the college, so I am not in a position to elaborate on it precisely," she said. DSP Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal and the Muktsar (City) SHO visited the spot. Muktsar (Sadar) SHO Iqbal Singh had some advance input about such a situation developing on the college premises, but he was deployed on VVIP duty for the Chief Minister's sangat darshan programme in the Lambi Assembly segment. Many senior cops were also busy in making arrangement for the CM's programme. Speaking on the phone, self-styled student union president Amarjit Singh Sandhu said, "I and my five friends reached the college today to paste posters declaring me the president of the student union. It was done with the approval of some teachers. We did all this peacefully, but the other group fired on us. They killed Gurjeet, as they failed to identify me. I also own a Swift car and the bullets were basically fired at me." He said the bullets were fired by Yadwinder Singh (alias Chandi Charewan), Sunny Chaudhary, Rakesh Chaudhary, Bharat, Lala and Goldy. According to sources, Goldy is a son of a policeman deployed in Muktsar, while Chandi and Rakesh are involved in some brawls in Chandigarh. Sunny is reportedly the district president of the Students Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). A case has been registered against Vishal, Sunny Chaudhary, Chandi Charewan, Lala, Samra and Sudhir at the Muktsar (Sadar) police station. SSP Kuldeep Chahal said, "We have registered a case of murder against six persons by name, along with some unidentified persons. However, no arrest has been made so far." Firing at college
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HSGMC: Will hit back at right time, says Badal
Lambi (Muktsar), August 1 “We called off our agitation following directions from the Akal Takht. But if due care is not taken to assuage the sentiments of the Sikhs, which have been hurt by the Haryana Government, then relevant strategy will be chalked out,” said Badal. The Chief Minister is on a two-day tour to his home constituency Lambi to hold Sangat Darshan. He was interacting with mediapersons here today. The Chief Minister recalled the sacrifices made by Sikh panth for the formation of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) during the British rule. He said, “The step by the Haryana Government is aimed at weakening this august body. Ever since Independence, the Congress has attacked Punjab politically, socially, economically and even religiously.” About the warning given by HSGMC to SGPC and SAD to vacate the Sikh shrines in Harayana or face legal action, and also the order to the managers of eight gurdwaras to stop withdrawal of money, Badal said, “The matter is already under the adjudication of Akal Takht. How can someone take any decision?” To a query on the recent hike in diesel price, Badal said the rates of essential commodities should not be increased. However, he welcomed the reduction in petrol prices.
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SGPC to continue hold on Haryana shrines: Makkar
Amritsar, August 1 In a statement released here, Makkar said Jagdish Singh Jhinda, HSGMC chief, was excommunicated from the Sikh panth and any such individual could not be part of gurdwara management affairs or any panthic activity. He said Jhinda’s statement, summoning the managers of gurdwaras to reach Kaithal with their account books, was not at all acceptable. He said the HSGMC was “totally illegal and unconstitutional” and it could in no way manage the gurdwara affairs in Haryana. He warned Jhinda against “misleading” the Sikh community over the issue by releasing such statements.
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Now, trouble brewing for SGPC at Hazur Sahib
Amritsar, August 1 Talking to The Tribune on phone from Nanded, Board member Jarnail Singh said, “Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board has 17 members, of whom four are nominated by the SGPC. However, it has been noticed that their members neither attend the Board meetings nor are aware of the problems being faced by the pilgrims visiting the shrine. Their contribution in the shrine’s management is nil. On the contrary, they fuel internal bickering.” Jarnail said there were only three seats in Nanded from where the local Sikh leaders can contest, compared to four seats with the SGPC, “something that was unfair”. According to him, the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board Act is very old and came into being even before Maharashtra was formed. “Things have changed a lot ever since. The Maharashtra Government has already set up a committee to suggest amendments in the Act. The panel had recently held a meeting with the members of the Sikh community in Nanded in which most of them suggested that more representation should be given to the local Sikh sangat, and that the SGPC quota should be curtailed,” he added. However, another Board member Gurmeet Singh Mahajan differs with Jarnail Singh as he said they had no problem with the SGPC quota. Gurmeet, though, suggested that the SGPC should desist from nominating Sikh businessmen to the Board. “They should rather opt for the people who think about the society’s good and work for the community,” he said. On the other hand, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board chairman Vijay Satbir Singh said they had so far not taken any decision to scrap the SGPC quota. He said he was also the member of the committee constituted to make amendment in the Act so that it was in sync with time. He said they were yet to submit a report, and that such decisions would not be taken in haste.
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Patiala and Talwandi Sabo bypoll
Chandigarh, August 1 The list is submitted by a political party to claim the expenditure of the star campaigners in the party’s account. Otherwise, the expenditure on the travel, stay, food and campaigning of leaders is included in the account of the candidate concerned. A candidate can spend up to Rs 70 lakh while there is no such cap on the party’s expenditure. Relations between the coalition partners (SAD and BJP) have not been that good since the Lok Sabha elections with both blaming each other for defeat in various seats, particularly Amritsar, where BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley lost to Capt Amarinder Singh of the Congress. The non-inclusion of any BJP leader in the list can further widen the divide between the two parties. It may also lead to a piquant situation as to who would be responsible for the expenditure incurred on the visits and campaigning of the BJP leaders in the byelections. The BJP has not put up any candidate as the SAD had staked claim to both the seats. It was being expected that the Akalis would include some BJP leaders in the list of star campaigners, but that too has not been done. Sources said the party may not have the legal right to submit a list of star campaigners as none of its candidate was contesting. The sources said the Akalis could have played smart by including certain BJP leaders in the special list as they were jointly running the government and the support of the BJP was vital in urban areas. The Akali list includes all Ministers and leaders holding prominent party positions. SAD general secretary Mahesh Inder Grewal said as per rules, each party submitted its own list and, therefore, there was no need to include BJP names. State BJP chief Kamal Sharma, in a press note, said that state minister Madan Mohan Mittal would head the party campaign in Talwandi Sabo. He would be assisted by Tarun Chugh. In Patiala, Jagtar Singh Saini would be in charge. He would be assisted by Dyal Singh Sodhi.
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AAP cancels party ticket to Balkar Sidhu
Talwandi Sabo, August 1 Sources said that senior AAP leaders had received an email from Canada accusing the singer in the issue of human trafficking (kabootarbazi). Balkar could not be reached for comment despite several attempts. His personal assistant (PA) Shanty Chouhan said his ticket had been cancelled. All senior AAP leaders remained incommunicado. Sources said that AAP was now likely to field 29-year- old Baljinder Kaur, a college teacher in Fatehgarh Sahib. An announcement in this regard could be made tomorrow. Balkar’s supporters said they had spent a huge amount on canvassing and were disappointed with the party’s decision. Baljinder Kaur, talking to The Tribune while on her way to Talwandi Sabo, said she had resigned after being told that she had been allotted the AAP ticket. She said that she would start campaigning after filing her nomination papers tomorrow.
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Cong, SAD candidates file papers in Talwandi Sabo
Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), August 1 The former was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, three Punjab ministers, three MLAs and a large group of supporters. Jassi was accompanied by former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and a few supporters. Talking to The Tribune, Jassi claimed he would play the role of an effective Opposition after ‘winning’ the byelection. Sidhu said his aim was to ensure a big victory margin. Addressing the media, the Deputy Chief Minister said the primary objective of his party was Punjab’s overall development. “We want a special package from the Centre to solve the problems of Talwandi Sabo farmers,” he said. Jeet Mohinder Sidhu, SAD
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Amarinder asks Congress workers to pull up socks
Patiala, August 1 Attending a meeting of the District Congress Committee, Amarinder Singh asked the Congress workers to pull up their socks and ensure that Preneet was elected MLA with a “record margin”. Warning the SAD-BJP government against misusing official machinery during the byelection, he said he was confident that the officials would not succumb to pressure and would perform their duty in an impartial manner. Amarinder Singh arrived here from Delhi today. His wife will be filing her nomination papers tomorrow. “I will personally ensure that nobody intimidates Congress workers and supporters. The Election Commission is closely monitoring these byelections,” he said.
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AAP’s Adaltiwala files papers amid fanfare
Patiala, August 1 Parliamentarians Bhagwant Mann (Sangrur), Prof Sadhu Singh (Faridkot) and Harinder Singh Khalsa (Fatehgarh Sahib) would camp in the city to boost the party’s campaign. Two more candidates filed their papers today. They are Amrik Singh of the All-India Congress Party and Balbir Singh, an Independent.
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sad-bjp rift widening?
Chandigarh, August 1 Speaking to the media in Jalandhar yesterday, Joshi had raised the issue of NOCs and also questioned the lack of basic facilities in various colonies. The BJP minister had earlier targeted the SAD-majority government over the controversial input tax credit, which was subsequently withdrawn. The government today held a high-level meeting, presided by Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, to discuss the issue. Kaushal later released figures mentioning that over 1.41 lakh plot-owners (60 per cent) had already been issued NOCs. He mentioned that 1.07 lakh plot-owners had not got the NOCs as they were yet to clear their dues. A government spokesperson said Kaushal reviewed the progress of issuance of NOCs to plot-holders of the post-1995 unauthorised colonies, who had applied for regularisation as per the policy guidelines issued by the government. The spokespersons said 2,49,447 plot-holders had applied for regularization, out of whom 1,41,496 belonged to municipal areas and had applied to the Local Bodies Department. The remaining plot-holders had plots outside the municipal limits and had applied to various development agencies, including GMADA and GLADA. Mahesh Inder Grewal, SAD general secretary, declined to comment: “I will not react on the basis of news reports. We are partners in the government and we will talk about it.” He had earlier issued a statement asking the BJP to follow its coalition dharma.
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Poor rainfall: MPs Ghubaya, Bittu seek special assistance
Chandigarh, August 1 Sources said the Centre was to discuss the issue at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. It was to announce a 50 per cent subsidy on diesel for a limited period (70 litres of diesel per acre). But there is no word on the issue so far. Punjab MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu (Congress) and Sher Singh Ghubaya (SAD), who raised this issue in Parliament yesterday as well as today, were backed by some Trinamool MPs from West Bengal. Bittu said the BJP government seemed unwilling to announce any relief for the state. “The BJP ministers argued that there had been sufficient rainfall in recent days. But the rainfall was deficient by 58 per cent during paddy transplantation in Punjab. To protect the crop, Punjab farmers had to spend large sums from their pocket. Hence, the Centre must announce a package for Punjab”, Bittu said.
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SC students allege principal biased in awarding marks
Hoshiarpur, August 1 Students raised slogans against Principal Dr Sham Sunder Sharma and alleged that he had been targeting them ever since they had taken up the issue of denial of roll numbers ahead of the April examinations. They said the district administration had then even got arrest warrants issued against him. They alleged that all the SC students had been awarded less than 60 per cent marks while most general category students scored much higher. “It is not possible that all the SC students are below average in studies. We want to see the lists of our internal assessment in practical examinations bearing signatures of the teachers,” said a protester. Abhilasha, a student of B.Ed, alleged that while the result of all other students in her class had been declared, hers had been withheld. The college principal claimed while the remaining 74 SC students had deposited the fee, Abhilasha had not, and so her result had not been declared. The student, however, claimed that she was helpless as she had yet not received the grant from the government. The principal said he could not provide any list of internal marks as he had sent it to the “secrecy branch” (examination branch) of the university. He said he could not comment without seeing a copy of the gazette from the university, which was yet to come to him. The students refused to leave the Principal’s office and kept raising their pitch for two hours, after which SHO City Amar Nath came and recorded their statements. Since the matter is already in the court of SDM Anand Sagar Sharma, he asked the students and the principal to appear before him in the afternoon. The SDM took on record various supporting documents from both sides.
UP IN ARMS
SC students of the DAV College of Education, Hoshiarpur, alleged that the principal had been targeting them ever since they had taken up the issue of denial of roll numbers ahead of the examinations in April
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Paper mill tanker caught unloading waste into canal
Faridkot, August 1 Raghbir Singh (26) died on the spot after his car collided with the tanker. After getting the report about the incident, senior PPCB officers rushed to the spot to collect evidence. Ram Ji Dass, executive engineer, PPCB, said it was shocking that the industry that was indicted a month ago for polluting the canal water and against which there were recommendations of its closure, was still violating the Prevention and Control of Pollution Act. He said PPCB senior officials had been informed about it and
the Board would take strict legal action against the industry this time. Even though the Rajasthan Government had many a times written to the Punjab Government to check the discharge of industrial waste in the Gung and Indira Gandhi canals, the practice has been going on “unabated”. Residents of the adjoining villages said it was an “open secret” that industrial pollutants were being discharged in the Gang Canal for a long time. Earlier, after residents of Golewala and other villages objected to the discharge of untreated industrial effluents in Sem Nala, the paper mill zeroed in on Gang Canal to continue with the practice. The high level of pollutants in the Gung and Indira Gandhi canals, two distributaries of Satluj that flows to Rajasthan for supplying drinking and irrigation water, is a grave concern for residents of Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner and five other districts. Residents of Golewala said the paper mill used special tanks to discharge the pollutants in the canal at late night hours every day. They alleged that mill workers had even
made big cuts in the bridge barricade on Burji No. 139247, on the Faridkot-Ferozepur road, for easy unloading of tanks. The incident
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Officers reprimanded by Debt Recovery Tribunal
Chandigarh, August 1 Among those chastised are IPS officer Parampal Singh Sidhu (IG) and PCS officers Parneet Bhardwaj, JS Grewal, Amarjit Paul and Inder Yash Bhatti. They are founding members and officer-bearers of the Sherwood Officers’ Society, Amritsar. The tribunal’s order of February this year was upheld by the Debt Relief Appellate Tribunal (DRAT), New Delhi. The DRAT chairman, Justice Ranjit Singh, in his order passed recently, pulled up the officers for “misleading the tribunal”. In their complaint to the DRT under the Securitisation and Assets Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, AK Gupta, AGM, Punjab National Bank, said that when he and his officers “entered the premises of the society at 4. 25 pm..., the main gate was closed from inside and the watchmen were advised to flee. Thereupon, we called the local authorities to release us and it was only after frantic calls that the team was allowed to move
out at 5 pm.” In a scathing indictment, the DRT presiding officer observed: “ A perusal of the documents, especially the project report, shows that the main promoters of the society are Parampal Singh Sidhu, IPS, Chairman, and officers Parneet Bhardwaj, PCS, vice-chairman, Amarjit Paul, Inder Yash Bhathi, and JS Grewal, all PCS officers. The address given by one of these officers (Bhardwaj) is shown as SDM’s residence, Batala...” The tribunal directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Principal Secretary, Punjab, to “ensure that these officers are not allowed to influence the District Magistrate (DM)” and another be sent to the Inspector-General for strict action against the officers and to ensure security to bank officers while “taking possession of the unit.” It directed that a copy of the order be placed in the personal files of all government officers of the society so that they did not dare to obstruct the legal recourse of the bank officials who were doing their best to recover a huge amount of public dues from the “so-called decorated officers.” The presiding officer also ordered that a copy of the order be sent to these government officers to explain why the matter should not be referred to the chairperson, Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal, for further action. “The interim prayer is declined with a cost of Rs 25,000 to be paid to the DRT Bar Association and a copy of this order is to be sent to the DM concerned with the directions that the bank’s request should be acceded to immediately and sufficient security be provided to the officers of the bank to take physical possession of the unit,” the tribunal ordered. Society's plea The Sherwood Officers’
Society, Amritsar, contended that the promoters of the project could not meet the construction deadline owing to the unprecedented escalation in the cost of construction material. It said that real estate company Fortin
Holdings Pvt. Ltd was keen on taking over the outstanding loan About the society
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Namdharis protest in Ludhiana
Ludhiana, August 1 Suba Darshan Singh, president of the Namdhari Panthak Ekta Action Committee, said: “A faction that performs prayers at the Namdhari Gurdwara is not allowing Thakur Dalip Singh’s followers to enter the gurdwara premises. This faction, that is backed by the authorities, is not allowing the sangat (followers) to enter religious places for prayers.” Followers of Thakur Uday Singh and his elder brother Thakur Dalip Singh have been at loggerheads after the former was appointed chief of the Namdhari sect. Last year, Thakur Uday Singh was attacked with an axe while he was giving a sermon at a gurdwara in England. The assailant was arrested and later convicted for attempted murder. Lakhvir Singh, spokesperson for the Namdhari Darbar, denied that followers were being refused entry into the gurdwaras. “Only those playing politics under the pretext of performing prayers have been stopped from misusing places of worship,” he said.
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Border farmers protest, seek compensation
Amritsar, August 1 Committee chief Satnam Singh Pannu said the state government must ensure an eight-hour power supply to the agriculture sector. He demanded that a 'girdawari' be ordered. He said the government should mplement the Swaminathan Commission report so that the farmers got remunerative prices for their produce. He asked the government to reduce the tariff for domestic power supply to Re 1 per unit. Meanwhile, Finance Commissioner Revenue NS Kang today met the DCs of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts to review the disbursal of relief to the farmers who have their land across the border fence.
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Govt school collects PTA funds from students, inquiry on
Jalandhar, August 1 Even as the PTA funds do not fall under any government funds/fees, Mahinderpal Singh Virdi, while holding additional charge as principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Lasara, along with the SMC members - collected Rs 30 per student from about 300 students every session to ensure payment of salaries to PTA teachers appointed by the school. In total, the money collected was over Rs 1,60,000. As per the RTE Act, education is provided free of cost to students of classes VI to VIII and there is no rule which permits the collection of any money from students. As per letter number: DSPD/SSA/2009/458-502 dated January 4, 2010, issued by the government; barring established fees/funds (which do not include PTA funds), no other money can be collected from students of classes IX to XII. Despite a complaint lodged with the Education Secretary in this regard in January 2014, Mahinderpal Singh Virdi continues to serve as principal at another school - Government Senior Secondary School, Naugajan. In resolution number 15 of the SMC - passed on July 5, 2012 - a proposal to collect Rs 30 as PTA fund from every student of classes VI to VIII was passed. The resolution also mentioned the funds were being collected for payment to new teachers who were to be hired since the school lacked adequate number of teachers. Resolution number 17, 22 and 25 of the SMC (passed on September 6, 2012, April 1, 2013 and October 4, 2013, respectively) said the PTA funds collection be continued for classes VI to XII. In April 2013, students of classes VI to XII were also asked to pay Rs 100 for the PTA funds for April. (The Tribune has copies of these resolutions). During the session 2012-2013, there were roughly 336 students of classes VI to XII in the school and in 2013-14 298 students. Virdi was transferred from the school on October 16, 2013, following which resolution number 27 of the SMC (December 9, 2013) mentioned collection of funds be stopped. It also said various sources of income of the school be looked into and the collected money be deposited to the welfare fund. Even after his retirement in 2013, he was granted extension for a year. Virdi said, “I did not order the collection of money. I was very busy as I had additional charge of many schools – Apra, Lasara etc. at that time. I trusted the school staff. But they made me sign those documents first and the resolutions were passed later. I was completely unaware of the collection of money. ” He said his tenure as principal had been extended and he would remain principal at his present school for the next year as well. Karnail Singh, during whose tenure the collection of money was cancelled, refused to comment. Harinder Pal, District Education Officer (DEO), Secondary, confirming the ongoing inquiry against Virdi, said the probe was pending with Deputy CEO Rampal. He also said Virdi had received extension for one year after his retirement in the year 2013. When asked whether he would get further extension, the DEO said so far the principal hadn’t applied.
The issue
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Patiala school 1st choice of meritorious students
Bathinda, August 1 While the Patiala school admitted 461 students, the figure was 453 in case of the Bathinda school. They were followed by schools at Jalandhar (405 students), Amritsar (403 students), Ludhiana (311 students) and Mohali (289 students). The final list of students admitted to these schools, which aim to provide quality education to students who scored 80 per cent or more marks in the PSEB Class X examinations, was released by the Society for Promotion of Quality Education for Poor and Meritorious Students of Punjab. However, the society could not manage to fill all seats in these schools for their maiden sessions. The project of setting up special residential schools for meritorious students was a brainchild of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. While the schools have been planned to accommodate 1,000 students each, the Education Department had made available 500 seats in each of these school for the 2014-15 academic session. Out of the available 3,000 seats, the department could fill only 2,322. Out of the 2,322 students admitted to these schools, 1,531 are girls and 791 boys. The non-medical stream remained the favourite of the meritorious students with 1,388 of them opting for it.
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Vocational courses in schools
Ropar, August 1 This was stated by Education Minister Daljeet Singh Cheema here today. Cheema was here in connection with a sangat darshan programme at Nurpur
Bedi. He said the recruitment of teachers who would teach students undergoing these courses had already started. These courses would be available in 100 schools across the state.
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Symbolic last rites of 1857 martyrs performed in Ajnala
Amritsar, August 1 However, no administrative official and politician from the region reached to pay homage to the 282 martyrs, several of whom were reportedly buried alive by the Britishers for raising a banner of revolt during the First War of Independence in 1857. The participants stressed the need for raising a memorial-cum-museum at the spot. Religious preachers from the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities prayed for the peace of the departed souls. Mangat Ram Pasla, CPM secretary, said the martyrs who were shot dead or buried alive in the well did not belong to any particular community or religion. “They were patriots and political leaders should refrain from playing politics on their martyrdom. Nobody should divide the martyrs on the lines of caste, creed or religions,” he said. Amarjit Singh Sarkaria, Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Committee president, and Surinder Kochhar, member of the advisory committee formed by the state government for Kallianwala Khuh, said they had not cremated the mortal remains of the martyrs in view of the people’s sentiments and following an advice from intellectuals.
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17 IPS officers promoted
Chandigarh, August 1 Nine officers were from the 1991 batch—RL Bhagat, Ishwer Chander, Jagdish Kumar, Balbir Kumar Bawa, Parampal Singh Sidhu, RP Mittal, Nirmal Singh Dhillon,Sham Lal and kanwaljit Singh Pannu. They have been promoted from 2010. IPS officers of the 1994 batch, Dr Naresh Kumar, Ram Singh, SS Srivastava, V Neerja and Amardeep Singh Rai, have been promoted from 2012. Three officers of the 1994 batch, Parveen Sinha, B Chandra Sekhar and Anita Punj, have been promoted from 2012 and 2013.
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State can’t afford to lose battle against drugs: HC
Chandigarh, August 1 As a petition filed in 2008 by Talwinder Pal Singh and another petitioner came up for resumed hearing before the High Court, Justice Bhalla also asked the centres to spell out “whether they are adequately staffed and the number of patients being dealt with on monthly basis”. The states of Punjab and Haryana have also been asked to file their affidavits on de-addiction centres running in jails. The states have been told to specify “whether addicts confined for various offences are being provided adequate treatment for their rehabilitation”. The case will now come up for further hearing on August 8. Justice Bhalla has already asserted that the state of Punjab was “awash” with narcotics; and has questioned the timing of the initiatives now taken by the Punjab Government to improve the heath of the de-addiction centres. Referring to Janer de-addiction centre in Moga, Justice Bhalla had earlier taken note of the fact that the 50-bedded hospital had just about 17 in-house patients. “It appears that despite the government having been woken up at last to the menace of drug addiction, the message does not seem to have percolated to officers responsible for running of addiction centres, the red cross societies,” he said. In December 2012 also, Justice Bhalla had asserted: “It appears that the states of Punjab and Haryana are paying lip services to the cause of de-addiction and making statements in the press almost on daily basis but doing nothing in the matter. It further appears that officers of the department concerned are making an effort but officers of other departments, who are responsible for providing finance and infrastructure in the matter are not cooperating….”
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service matters
Chandigarh, August 1 Dismissing a petition filed by the Union of India and other petitioners against Vidhu Shekhar Pandey and other respondents, the Division Bench, Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Fateh Deep Singh, also imposed costs of Rs 10,000 that is to be paid within two months. The Union of India had challenged an order passed by the Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal in December 2013, whereby an application filed by respondent Vidhu Shekhar Pandey was allowed. It had directed that the service earlier rendered by Pandey with the Union of India be counted towards pensionary benefits in the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation. Pandey had applied for the post with the CSIO before entering the service of UOI. The Tribunal found that Pandey had informed about his selection to the post of Scientist, Grade-IV, in the CSIO, while submitting his resignation through proper channel in May 2004. He was relieved from his duties on June 19, 2004, before he joined the CSIO on June 21, 2004. As such, the UOI’s objections of Pandey not applying for the post through proper channel could not be accepted. The Tribunal also held that his past service with the UOI was qualified to be counted for all intent and purposes. The Bench asserted: “We have examined the matter and find that the present writ petition is wholly untenable. ... We dismiss the present
writ petition with costs of Rs 10,000 to be paid to the applicant within
two months”.
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Held for drug smuggling, BSF man handed over to police
Amritsar, August 1 Tyagi was arrested after his name figured during the interrogation of two smugglers by the police recently. During the search of his room, the BSF had confiscated Rs 85,000 cash, four mobile phones, a Pakistani SIM card and property papers. It has been learnt that he had struck a Rs 30-lakh deal with the smugglers for allegedly aiding them push contraband into the Indian territory. Preliminary investigations revealed that he had managed to smuggle in two consignments. MF Farooqui, BSF DIG, said though Tyagi had been handed over to the police, simultaneous proceedings on the charges of sedition and under the Prevention of Corruption Act would continue against him in the special BSF court.
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4 held for beating bank officials
Abohar, August 1 The accused allegedly thrashed male staff members, damaged cabins, computers and furniture on Wednesday evening. Branch manager Jagatbir Singh told the
police that Rajinder Kaur, who was working as a helper on ad hoc basis, was being questioned for stealing a mobile phone that belonged to Jitender Kumar, a staff member. The latter had lodged an FIR at Sriganganagar police station. The tracking of the phone led the police to Karaiwala village near Malout. The user said he had purchased it from Rajinder. The bank staff preferred to wind up the matter as she agreed to pay the money. However, she suddenly contacted someone over her phone and within a few minutes, half a dozen men stormed in the bank. A case has
been registered.
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The Punjab Government has not accorded approval this year to carry out contained field trials for genetically modified crops. Sources said the bio-safety committee of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, had given its nod to such trials for maize and cotton crops.
The controversy over the "self-styled" president of the student union of Government College, Muktsar, took a bloody turn today when a 17-year-old boy was shot dead.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the “sinister” move of the Congress to wrest the control of gurdwaras in Haryana through its “modern Mahants” would not be tolerated at any cost. He said the future course of action to oppose it would be taken at appropriate time after due deliberations with the Sikh panth.
After receiving a jolt in Haryana with the formation of the HSGMC, the SGPC is facing rough weather at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board. The Board members hailing from Nanded are advocating more representation to the local Sikh leaders and curtailing the SGPC quota.
Talking to The Tribune on phone from Nanded, Board member Jarnail Singh said, “Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board has 17 members, of whom four are nominated by the SGPC."
A day after his wife Preneet Kaur wrote to the Election Commission alleging misuse of the state machinery by the state government, her husband Capt Amarinder Singh expressed confidence in the officials. He, however, warned officials who were "misusing their position to favour the
Akalis." He said the Congress was certain to form the next government in the state.
Students of the DAV College of Education who have been availing the Centre’s Scheduled Caste Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme today lodged a protest against the Principal, blaming him of “bias” by awarding less marks to them in internal assessment in
B.Ed examination.
Activists of Kisan Sangharsh Committee today staged a dharna outside the PSPCL border range office here. They were seeking a compensation of Rs 35,000 per acre for facing "drought-like conditions". They also sought a Rs 500 per quintal bonus on their produce.
Harminder Jassi, Cong
“We will be contesting the poll on local issues. We have started holding meetings in small localities. We will give a tough fight to Preneet Kaur (Congress) and Bhagwan Das Juneja (SAD),” said Dr Gandhi. Sources said AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav would canvass for Adaltiwala. They would be in Patiala in the second week of August.
Highly influential officers of Punjab have been castigated by the local bench of the Debt Recovery Tribunal for obstructing the process to recover debt totalling Rs 21.80 crore initiated by the Punjab National Bank (PNB) by adopting delaying and strong-arm tactics.
The Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students, Patiala, has admitted the maximum number of students for its maiden academic session that starts on August 4. Other such schools, affiliated to Punjab School Education Board, are located in
Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali and Amritsar districts.