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Anger rises as drain water nears Abohar
Farmer outfits demand girdawari, adequate compensation
221 MBBS reserved seats now in general category
Promote Punjabi: Cheema to youth
jaitley’s letter
No transfer requests during Sangat
Darshan: Sukhbir
Dalits allege social boycott,
Sunam admn refutes charge
Rs 3.5 cr machine to modernise peas farming
Check illegal mining in
Hoshiarpur: HC
Fresh trial begins in Moga passport scam
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Waterlogged areas yet to be cleared in Muktsar
Muktsar, September 6 “The district administration officials visited our village, but they said the de-clogging will begin tomorrow. Most of the villagers from inundated areas have shifted to safer places,” said Bikkar Singh, husband of the Akali sarpanch of Lundewala village. Villagers said a similar situation was witnessed post-rains in 2011 and 2013, which had caused huge losses. They blamed the faulty design of the drainage system for the flood-like situation. RP Gupta, Executive Engineer (Irrigation), said breaches had developed in three minors and distributaries in the district. “People are not co-operating with us. All canals in the district are now working as drains and running full to their capacity,” he said. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Irrigation Minister, held a meeting with the officials concerned and visited some affected villages. On a query about faulty design of drains, he said, “All the drains are working and draining out water from the fields.” He termed it a natural disaster. Gurdev Singh, Chief Engineer (Drainage) said, “This is a cloudburst-like situation.” Some Congress and PPP leaders alleged the SAD activists were diverting water from their inundated fields to those in their vicinity. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Congress MLA from Gidderbaha, has demanded a probe into the partial collapse of a recently built bridge linking Karniwala and Bhundar villages on the Muktsar-Malout highway. Warring has also demanded Rs 50,000 per acre compensation for the affected farmers. Quick relief in CM’s constituency Contrary to the delay in Muktsar and Gidderbaha, the de-clogging has already started in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's home constituency Lambi. KJS Cheema, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, said 36 water-lifting pumps were installed in 19 affected villages on Friday.
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Anger rises as drain water nears Abohar
Abohar, September 6 Kailash Nagar residents resented water was fast entering residential colonies near the Assumption Convent School, “but the authorities had turned a blind eye”. A breach in the main drain near Kerakhera village had submerged standing crops and the water flow towards the urban areas was unchecked. Traffic on Seetogunno road and Jeev Raksha bypass terminal remained blocked for an hour. Block Development and Panchayat Officer Harjinder Kaur along with a battery of police officials led by Superintendent of Police Harjit Singh interacted with the protesters.
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Farmer outfits demand girdawari, adequate compensation
Amritsar/Bathinda, September 6 While the farmer leaders are pegging the losses anywhere between 20 and 25 per cent, the Agriculture Department officials here claim it is around five per cent. Jamhuri Kisan Sabha Punjab chief Satnam Singh Ajnala said no rainfall today had certainly restricted the damage to a certain extent but the farmers had suffered huge losses in the last 72 hours. "Reports say that paddy crop has suffered around 20 to 25 per cent damage and the overall yield is set to go down. The early varieties which were nearing maturity have suffered 100 per cent damage, as the crop is submerged in thousands of acres of land," he averred. He said it had come as a setback to the farmers who are already debt-ridden. He demanded that the government should immediately order a special 'girdawari' and announce adequate compensation for the affected farmers. Ajnala said the government should facilitate a compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre for those suffering 100 per cent loss and Rs 15,000 per acre to those with 50 per cent loss. Terming it "peanuts", he hit out against the government formula of compensation as per which relief is Rs 5,000 per acre for 76 to 100 per cent loss, Rs 3,000 for 51 to 75 per cent loss and Rs 2,000 for 26 to 50 per cent loss. Amritsar Chief Agriculture Officer Paramjeet Singh Sandhu pegged the losses at around 5 per cent. Incessant rain for the last three days has damaged the cotton crop in Bathinda and nearby areas. The crop which was in its flowering stage is the worst hit. Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Rajinder Singh said nearly 2,000 - 2,500 acres of cotton crop area had been affected in the district. Farmer Sukhchian Singh of Nathana area, whose cotton crop on 10 acres has been submerged, demanded the state government order a special girdawari to compensate the loss of the farmers. Farmers claim surge in Ravi, admn denies Farmers in villages like Kotrajada, Bedi Chhana, Chahadpur and Dadiyan in Ajnala area on Saturday claimed that the water level in the Ravi had increased. They said as a result, their paddy fields and other crops had got submerged. However, Ajnala SDM Surinder Singh said the situation was under control. He said it was rainwater that was stranded in their fields. "I visited these villages today," he said. Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat also said there was no threat of floods in the district as of
now
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221 MBBS reserved seats now in general category
Faridkot, September 6 After the second round of counselling that ended on July 26, the university had declared 84 seats in SC category, 108 NRI, 22 handicapped, two J&K, four Punjab Police and one seat in the riot-affected category as vacant. The Department of Medical Education and Research had last month approached the Medical Council of India (MCI) demanding 5 per cent relaxation in the eligibility criteria for SC and NRI candidates. After the MCI declined the request, political lobbying had started on the matter. Some members of the Vidhan Sabha panel for welfare of SC/ST had yesterday convened a meeting under the chairmanship of Akali Dal MLA Nirmal Singh to deliberate on the issue of giving relaxation to the SC candidates. But since the vice chancellor of the BFUHS was not present, the panel could not take any decision. Dr SS Gill, vice chancellor, said: "We have followed the MCI guidelines and all vacant seats have been transferred to the general pool. There is no scope of giving any relaxation in the eligibility criteria." "By tomorrow evening, all seats in the state's medical colleges will be filled," he added. Set up grants panel for medical varsities: VCs
The 4th national conclave of vice-chancellors of health and medical universities in India started at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) here today. Vice chancellors of eight health Universities are attending the two-day event. Dr VM Katoch, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), asked the Union Government to set up a medical university grants commission on the pattern of the UGC to fund research at medical universities. Dr SS Gill, vice chancellor, BFUHS; Dr Raja Babu Panwar, VC, Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur; Dr SS Sangwan, VC, Pt Bhagwant Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak; Dr DP Lokwani, VC, MP Medical Science University, Jabalpur; Dr Bhabatosh Biswas, VC, WB University of Health Sciences, Kolkatta; Dr Ravi Kant, VC, King George's Medical University, Lucknow; Dr GB Gupta, VC, Ayush and Health Science, Chhattishgarh; and Dr Arun Jamkar, VC, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, also spoke. Final counselling begins at faridkot university
Following mci guidelines, says vc We have followed the MCI guidelines and all vacant seats have been transferred to the general pool. There is no scope of giving any relaxation in the eligibility
criteria.
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Promote Punjabi: Cheema to youth
Patiala, September 6 Speaking at the valedictory function of the two-day All-India Punjabi Conference, Cheema exhorted the Punjabis to use the language for communication in their day-to-day life to ensure the future generations stayed connected to it. Cheema said the Punjabis had established their identity wherever they had settled across the globe. “But, it pains me to see that the youth in Punjab are drifting away from Punjabi language and culture. The educationists should make efforts to convince the youth to study the state’s rich culture and tradition,” he said.
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jaitley’s letter
Reacting to Jaitely's letter to the Punjab Government, in which he has ruled out any financial package to the state, Capt Amarinder pointed out it (the letter) had exposed Badals' "lies" about their allegation of discrimination by the Centre. He said Punjab had got maximum money during the UPA government at the Centre and Akalis' rule in Punjab. The Badals had either misappropriated or squandered the funds in an archaic and unplanned way in programmes like sangat darshans, he alleged. The former Chief Minister said Badal owed an explanation to the people of Punjab as why despite liberal grants from the Centre the state's economy went from bad to worse. Capt Amarinder said while Jaitley had asked the state government to set its house in order, he (Capt Amarinder) had been insisting on it for a long time. "I have always told them that Jaitley does not hold any magic wand with which your financial problems will be over", he said, adding that the Badals had "befooled" people claiming that once Jaitley became the Finance Minister, there would be no dearth of funds for Punjab.
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No transfer requests during Sangat
Darshan: Sukhbir
Sukhbir said this after being approached by several people for transfers during the event here. He said the Sangat Darshan in future would be exclusively meant for redressing other grievances of the people. An official said Sukhbir asked the people not to come with requests as the government had already banned general transfers in the state. He reasoned with the petitioners that as per the transfer policy, the last date for transfers during this year had already elapsed. He said the employees could put in requests next year after the announcement of the new transfer policy.
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Dalits allege social boycott, Sunam admn refutes charge
Sangrur, September 6 Officials said an announcement denying any social boycott would be made by the panchayat and the police along with an appeal to all communities to maintain harmony in the village. The Dalits had yesterday submitted a complaint to the Sunam DSP to lodge a case under the SC/ST Act against those boycotting them. Parneet Shergill, SDM, Sunam, said they were trying to broker peace between the villagers. She claimed no announcement had been made regarding boycott of Dalits. Sanjiv Mintoo, a Dalit leader, said they had apprised the administration of their plight and their boycott by upper caste people. — TNS
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Rs 3.5 cr machine to modernise peas farming
Chandigarh, September 6 The ultra-modern machine from Holland-based firm Ploeger will be bought at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore for mechanised plucking of peas. It will help curtail labour cost and add value to the produce as the peas plucked through this machine would be utilised 100 per cent for processing. The machine will be imported as a prototype through Punjab Agri Export Corporation Limited. The main purpose of introducing this harvester is to promote food processing industry and crop diversification.
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Check illegal mining in Hoshiarpur: HC
Chandigarh, September 6 The directions before the Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu came on a petition filed in public interest by Amrik Singh and other petitioners against the Punjab Government and other respondents. They were seeking issuance of directions to the government and other respondents to “bring to an end illegal sand and gravel mining”. Directions were also sought to check illegal functioning of crushers at Mehatpur village in Mukerian tehsil. The petitioners told the court that mining and crushing of gravel was going on without the mandatory environmental clearance and legal sanction. Their counsel had also submitted that the high court had directed the constitution of special investigating team on April 12, 2013, while taking up a civil writ petition. The SIT was constituted to investigate FIRs pertaining to “illegal excavation of minor minerals etc”. But despite the court orders, the SIT was “unable to stop the illegal activity”. The counsel also told the court that the petitioners had filed a representation in August before the Punjab Director-General of Police and Hoshiarpur Senior Superintendent of Police. “But nothing has been done to check the menace.” Taking up the matter, the Bench asserted: “This writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to consider the representation dated August 30 filed by the petitioners and take appropriate steps in case any illegal mining is going on at Mehatpur village.” The directions came amid claims by the government of registering no less than 2,000 FIRs in cases hovering around illegal mining.
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Fresh trial begins in Moga passport scam
Moga, September 6 The policemen, Jaswinder Singh, Ranjit Singh and Gurdial Singh, have already been dismissed from service. The next hearing in the case is on November 15. The trial was earlier going on in the District and Sessions Court in
Faridkot, but it was shifted to Moga after the formation of the Sessions Division here. The case relates to detection of more than 350 fake passports by the police from 2006 to 2007. The police had arrested over 100 persons, mostly
NRIs, who got their passports made fraudulently. Didar Singh, an employee of the Regional Passport Office at Jammu, formerly posted in
Chandigarh, the kingpin of the scam, too was arrested in April 2009. The fake passports were made by tampering with the official records and forging the documents related to age, education, address proof and police verification of the applicants.
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Patiala,
September 6
Chandigarh, September 6
New Delhi, September 6