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Mid-term review of SAD-BJP govt: Agriculture
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VAT on yarn set to be halved
SGPC team in Kashmir to review relief work
SGPC to help children hit by militancy in Nepal
Villagers want principal back
Denotify kandi areas, says BJP
Cong flays case against MLA’s PA
Veteran SAD leader Talwandi dead
The stalwart saw several ups and downs
UP resident arrested for
Golden Temple threat call
Delimitation panel: Plea against nominations dismissed
BSF to strengthen border fencing
Amloh villagers oppose distillery near shrine
Aircraft maintenance hub at Mohali airport on cards
Private medical colleges seek steep fee hike
Pak man not allowed to visit relative’s dargah
Gurdaspur roads in poor state
Power theft in Moga
Pinki issuing threats, says victim's father
Bail for Daduwal in arms case
State told to issue notification for CBI probe in Vidhu Jain murder
Notice to state on doctors’ protection
Onus of due diligence on property buyer, says High Court
Robbers strike petrol pump
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Mid-term review of SAD-BJP govt: Agriculture
Bathinda, September 19 The list of unkept promises is rather long. The alliance vowed to release more tube well connections, upgrade the canal system, subsidise drip and sprinkling irrigation, computerise land records and introduce crop insurance. All these facilities were to be provided within two years. However, with the power subsidy bill standing at a whopping Rs 6,000 crore, the state could not take up any major agricultural reforms.
The MSP issue Despite the SAD's proximity with the BJP, the Badal government has been unsuccessful in ensuring MSP (minimum suport price) for crops other than wheat and paddy. This has adversely affected its diversification programme with most farmers sticking to the traditional cropping system. Farmers are keen on diversification. But they are cautious. They want to be assured of fixed returns. Over-production can cause a glut and a steep fall in prices. Farmers continue to plant paddy even though it needs to be watered 20 times. On the other hand, the maize crop needs to be watered only six times. But in the absence of MSP, the total area under maize has remained stagnant at two lakh hectares. Government appeals to farmers to shun paddy and grow vegetables have not worked. With water resources dwindling and no innovation in the farming practices, the scenario is rather grim. Poor marketing The government, despite its tall promises, has yet to streamline and modernise agri-marketing, open the Attari-Wagah border for trade, encourage setting up special agro-processing units with liberal fiscal incentives, plan a special economic zone (SEZ) near Attari, take irrigation waters to fields at the tail-end of canals and set up a food park in Ladhowal, Ludhiana. Farmers who have taken to organic plantations and bio-technology ventures have not received much support from the government. The government has failed to keep its word on funding Punjab Agricultural University “liberally” to give another push to agriculture after the Green Revolution, to set up marketing and export research centres and to tame the
Ghaggar. Unkept promises
Not even half of the applicants have got the connections so far
No work has been done. Fields at the tail-end of the canal are not getting any water
The government has washed off its hands, on the plea that the Centre hasn’t given funds
Farmers continue to visit the offices of patwaris and nambardars for details of land records
Nothing has been done in this regard so far
Now it says this is not possible as 90 per cent funds are being spent on employees’ salaries
Nothing has been done on the ground
No investor has shown interest in the project
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VAT on yarn set to be halved
Chandigarh, September 19 A proposal to reduce VAT on yarn to 3 per cent, from the existing 6.05 per cent, will reportedly be placed before the Cabinet during its meeting on September 23. The modalities to reduce VAT have been finalised and the proposal will be given a final go-ahead by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds charge of the taxation department. The decision to reduce VAT on yarn has reportedly been taken after several delegations of knitwear and hosiery industry and yarn manufacturers demanded that it should be brought on a par with the rate applicable in neighbouring states. Representatives of the textile industry said they were not buying yarn from local manufacturers because of the high VAT rate applicable in the state (6.05 per cent). They preferred to buy it from other states, where they had to pay just 2 per cent Central Sales Tax (CST). DL Sharma, president and executive director of Vardhman Industries, confirmed the textile and knitwear industry was not buying yarn from Punjab-based manufacturers. "We supply yarn to textile units from our Baddi plant as consumers say they save money by paying 2 per cent CST rather than 6.05 per cent VAT," he said. Sources in the industry said the government had agreed to lower the VAT rate because it was itself losing revenue. VAT refund on yarn was much more than the VAT earned, as several manufacturers had started seeking refund showing bogus sale of yarn. Yarn worth around Rs 500 crore is consumed in the state. Because of the high VAT rate applicable, 50 per cent of the yarn consumed in the state is being imported from outside. Madan Mohan Vyas, president of the Punjab Spinners Association, said by lowering the VAT rate, the government would earn much more revenue, as people would start buying yarn from within the state. More on agenda for Cabinet meeting
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SGPC team in Kashmir to review relief work
Amritsar, September 19 SGPC executive member Rajinder Singh Mehta said they would take stock of the relief work and also look into the requirements of the flood-affected people. He said they would submit a report to the SGPC chief after assessing the situation so that they could chalk out the future course of action vis-à-vis relief work. He said they had been sending ration to the flood-hit state on a daily basis. “Even today, we’re taking along 10 quintals of rice, five quintals of “daal”, five quintals of juice, and two quintals of onions,” he added. Talking to The Tribune on the phone from Srinagar this evening, additional SGPC secretary Daljit Singh Bedi said the delegation visited the relief camp and the flood-affected areas in the city. It met people who expressed satisfaction with the relief work being carried out by the SGPC. They were, however, unhappy with the state government and accused it of not doing enough for them. The people urged the SGPC to facilitate their rehabilitation. The SGPC team told them though they had limited resources but would still try to help them in every possible manner. Bedi said they would continue the supply of relief material till the situation became normal in the state. He said they distributed 5-kg packets of relief material to the affected people today. The delegation would return tomorrow. In a related development, the SGPC facilitated the dispatch of ashes of those killed in floods to Amritsar through aerial route. The family members of those killed brought the ashes of their near and dear ones. Meanwhile, the district administration today dispatched 25,000 blankets, 2,000 towels, 700 suits for women and 5 tonne food items to Jammu and Kashmir through Indian Air Force planes. Earlier, it had sent 6,000 blankets, 37 tonnes of food packets and 35 quintals of dry ration. DC Ravi Bhagat said their control room was working round the clock to facilitate all possible assistance to the flood-hit. Extending help in hour of crisis
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SGPC to help children hit by militancy in Nepal
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 19 A five-member team, headed by SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, visited Nepal recently. Bhaur said the SGPC would bear all expenses on their rehabilitation, including education. He said these children would be provided education at a Kathmandu-based private CBSE-affiliated school. He said the committee had decided to rehabilitate the children of other militancy-hit communities as well. Bhaur said a five-member SGPC delegation would visit Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the flood situation there. He said they would meet people and government officials to know what kind of support was required to rehabilitate flood-hit people. He said another team of doctors and paramedical staff had left for the Valley. He said the SGPC had set up five camps to provide food and shelter to the flood-affected people.
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Villagers want principal back
Mehlan (Sangrur), Sept 19 Due to the dharna, students and staff members could not enter the school. The school authorities sent the students back home while the staff members stayed at a place opposite the school. The school has about 700 students and 41 staff members. Besides some panchayat members, members of the school management committee and Sher-e-Punjab Naujwan Sports Club, Mehlan, also took part in the dharna. They were protesting Manjit’s transfer, saying she was a good administrator. After receiving information about the dharna, District Education Officer (Secondary) Sangrur Nirmal Singh Sidhu reached the school. When contacted, the District Education Officer said he had asked the protesters to open the school gate to allow students to appear in the ongoing tests, but they refused to do so. He said he told the protesters that he had already brought the matter to the Education Minister’s notice, so any decision in this regard would be taken by the government. School Management Committee president Nazar Singh said after the transfer of Manjit Kaur, they had gone to Dirba MLA Balbir Singh Ghunas to get the transfer cancelled but they didn’t get any positive response. So they had organised a dharna in front of the school on September 8. He said district SAD president Teja Singh Kamalpur had assured them that he would get the transfer cancelled, but nothing had been done so far. Nazar Singh said as their demand had not been met so far, they had staged the dharna again. He said their agitation would continue till their demand is met.
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Denotify kandi areas, says BJP
Chandigarh, September 19 Rajya Sabha member Avinash Rai Khanna and assistant media adviser Vineet Joshi said that the Act had been wrongly applied to the kandi villages as notifications had been issued repeatedly without following the due process of law. “As laid down in Section 7 of the PLPA, 1900, no proclamation was made, no settlement officer appointed or objections invited. All notifications were made arbitrarily without intimating the landowners and without giving them an opportunity to be heard. No compensation was awarded for the losses suffered by them,” the BJP leaders reportedly told the Chief Minister. They said because of effective soil conservation measures, the conditions had changed drastically. Khanna and Joshi sought a fresh survey of the affected villages by the Revenue Department. They suggested that the Soil Conservation Department be asked to take charge of these areas.
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Cong flays case against MLA’s PA
Chandigarh, September 19 Bajwa said it seemed that there was no place of democratic dissent and criticism under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s regime. Those named in the FIR included Baldev Singh Babbu and NRIs Rajwinder Singh Khosa and Ravi Bassi. Baldev Singh is personal assistant of Rajwinder Kaur. — TNS
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Veteran SAD leader Talwandi dead
Ludhiana, September 19 The cremation will take place at Talwandi Rai village, near Raikot, at 11 am tomorrow. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and other leaders would attend the cremation. Talwandi's son Jagjit Singh Talwandi is an SGPC member. Hiss other son Ranjit Singh Talwandi is a former MLA. Expressing grief, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said he was "a great source of strength to him, the SAD, the Panth and Punjab". He said: "Throughout his life, Jathedar Talwandi remained a powerful voice of the Khalsa Panth and was rightly known as the 'Loh Pursh'. Steadfast, strong and uncompromising on Panthic principles, Jathedar sahib spearheaded the Khalsa Panth and the SAD in various capacities through troubled times, including the movement for Punjabi Suba, the struggle during the Emergency and Dharam Yudh Morcha." Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal said Talwandi's death was "an irreparable loss to the SAD and the Sikh Panth." Deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa, PPP chief Manpreet Badal and Revenue Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia expressed sympathies with the bereaved family. They said Jathedar Talwandi was known for his strong views, assertiveness and dedication to the Panth. There was confusion over the time of Talwandi’s death with his family, the district administration and the hospital authorities announced the death separately. The final announcement was reportedly made after confirmation of Deputy Chief Minister’s presence at his cremation tomorrow. The family and local leaders announced the death at about 7.30 am. But the administration and the hospital confirmed the death only at 11.10 am.
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The stalwart saw several ups and downs
Ludhiana, September 19 He held this position for 10 years. His political life witnessed several ups and downs. He was known for his quick temper and mood swings. He was elected SGPC member for the first time in 1960. He remained its member for 51 years, perhaps a record. In 2000, he was unanimously elected SGPC president, replacing Bibi Jagir Kaur. Talwandi was elected MLA from Raikot for the first time in 1967. In fact, politics was in his blood. His father Jathedar Shanga Singh, a well-known farmer in Lyallpur district (now in Pakistan), took part in all Sikh morchas, including Guru Ka Bagh and Nankana Sahib morchas. Talwandi was a minister in the governments led by Justice Gurnam Singh in 1969 and Parkash Singh Badal in 1970. He was elected Member of Parliament from Ludhiana in 1977. He was made Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president twice between 1978 and 1988. The controversial Anandpur Sahib Resolution was passed at the 18th Akali conference held under his presidentship at Ludhiana on October 28 and 29 in 1978. Talwandi played a key role in Punjab politics in the pre-militancy and post-militancy era. He was among the four top Akali leaders in the state, the other three being Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Surjit Singh Barnala and Parkash Singh Badal. In 1977, after SAD's landslide victory in the Assembly elections, Tohra, Badal and Talwandi became a powerful trio. However, there ensued an intense factional fight between the Badal group on the one hand and the Talwandi-Tohra group on the other. Later, the Tohra group eventually distanced itself from the Talwandi group. In 1980, the SAD split into Akali Dal (Talwandi) and Akali Dal (Longowal). In 1982, Talwandi decided to sink differences with Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. In his condolence message, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh said Jathedar Talwandi, unlike many others, had selflessly served the Panth without exploiting his position or power or personal or pecuniary benefits. He said he was fearless and forthright.
obituary
under his presidentship
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UP resident arrested for
Golden Temple threat call
Amritsar, September 19 The accused has been identified as Kamal Verma. Harjit Singh Brar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special) said the accused had lost his bag from Guru Ram Das Sarai inside the Golden Temple complex a few days ago. "This prompted him to do something so that the vigil inside the shrine is enhanced and nobody else loses him belongings. He then took the phone number of Darbar Sahib manager from a booklet published by the SGPC and made a threat call," he said. The police traced him through the call details. They also managed to get his photograph from his Whatsapp account. He was arrested from Guru Ram Dass Sarai. Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Police Commissioner, said the accused had been residing at the sarai for the past fortnight. Following the call, security was beefed up around the Golden Temple. The SGPC had restricted the pilgrims from carrying handbags inside the shrine. Brar said preliminary investigation revealed Kamal was unemployed and appeared to be mentally unsound.
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Delimitation panel: Plea against nominations dismissed
Chandigarh, September 19 The petition by Congress worker Rajeshwar Singh was filed a month after the Punjab Government nominated the members for delimitation of wards for municipalities. He had alleged that the entire process was illegal, arbitrary, malafide, discriminatory and colourable exercise of power. Taking up the matter, the Division Bench headed by acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Mohunta asserted: “The petitioner has challenged the vires of Delimitation of Wards of Municipalities Rules (First Amendment) Rules, 2014. The petition has been filed as a public interest litigation. The vires of a legislation cannot be challenged by way of a public interest litigation and more so in vacuum. For this reason, we are not inclined to entertain this petition”. In his petition, Rajeshwar Singh had also alleged that the malafide and arbitrary action of the ruling SAD-BJP government was writ large. The “rules have been twisted, tweaked and tailor made to accommodate workers, members and leaders of both the parties in the delimitation boards”.
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Justice Mohunta bereaved
Chandigarh, September
19 She was 83. She is survived by two sons — Justice Mohunta, and Sunil Mohunta. Her husband, late SC Mohunta was Haryana's former Advocate-General and former Member of Parliament. She was cremated at the Sector 25 cremation ground. A number of sitting and retired judges of the high court and other prominent persons were present on the occasion. The
"uthala" ceremony will be held at Hare Krishna Dham in Sector 36, Chandigarh, on September 21.
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BSF to strengthen border fencing
Ferozepur, September 19 RK Thapa, Deputy-Inspector General, (DIG), BSF, Ferozepur Sector, said the BSF would put up a wire mesh along the new fencing to plug any gaps. There have been many instances of smugglers pushing drugs through the fence using plastic conduit pipes. The DIG further said that at some places, the ground under the fencing had sunk due to frequent flooding. He said they had now decided to prepare a concrete base before erecting the fencing. “High-mast lights are also being erected along the riverine gaps,” the DIG said. On border farmers’ demand to relocate the fencing near the International Border (IB), the DIG said the fencing would be relocated at certain places so that fertile land could be retrieved for agricultural purposes. Sources said in the late 80s, the committee constituted by SL Kapoor, the then state Chief Secretary had decided that the fencing should be installed within 50 to 150 metres of the Zero Line. However, at some places it is as far as up to 3 km from the Zero Line. Security boost
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Amloh villagers oppose distillery near shrine
Amloh, September 19 They said that as per law, even a liquor vend could not be opened near a shrine. Later, a five member delegation, led by Zila Parishad member Baltej Singh Mehmadpur, met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh. The CM told them to wait till Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal's return on September 24.
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Aircraft maintenance hub at Mohali airport on cards
Chandigarh, September 19 While GMADA proposes to establish an MRO facility at the Mohali international airport to create a north Indian hub for the maintenance of aircraft, the state Government wants to establish biotech incubators and manufacturing facilities at its biotech park site in Mohali. “My aim is to establish a world-class MRO facility in Mohali which will not only cater to the Delhi airport but will also eventually become a maintenance hub for the South East Asian region,” Sukhbir said while interacting with GMR CEO Uday Naidu this afternoon. He was given a brief presentation on the MRO facility established there by GMR. He toured the facility to understand its operations hands on. The GMR group also evinced interest in taking part in a competitive bid to establish a greenfield airport at Ludhiana on the occasion. Badal also visited the Genome valley at Turkapally near here during the course of which he interacted with the management of IKP Park and Alexandria Park.
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Private medical colleges seek steep fee hike
Faridkot, September 19 The medical colleges relied mainly on a 2007-08 report of the Fee Committee of the state government. The colleges claimed as per the report, the cost of education for each postgraduate student was around Rs 8.57 lakh per year in the state. But the colleges were still charging Rs 4-Rs 6 lakh. The Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, claimed that at present, each postgraduate student was charged Rs 5.65 lakh per year on average. The Principal, the DMCH, in a letter to the DRME, said this fee calculation was based on the assumption that all seats, including basic sciences courses and NRI category, are filled. However, this was not the case, the principal said. The Principal claimed that in the current session, 10 seats in basic science remained vacant. Due to non-availability of students in the basic departments (such as physiology, SPM and anatomy), no fee was charged, but everyone was paid stipend. Moreover, 11 vacant seats in the NRI quota were converted to general category, which had lower tuition fees. These factors resulted in a substantial reduction in fee receipts, claimed the principal. He claimed that the fiscal deficit of the DMCH would increase further, when stipend is enhanced as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) directions. The DMCH claimed that the college was paying Rs 334.56 lakh stipend to total 96 postgraduate students in the college. He said as per the MCI directions, the DMCH would have to pay Rs 457.08 lakh stipend. Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, also demanded a hike in fee. It demanded that fee be increased to Rs 10 lakh per year for MD/MS (clinical courses). In financial stress
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Pak man not allowed to visit relative’s dargah
Alampur (Hoshiarpur), September 19 The 14-acre site was transferred to the Waqf Board during Partition. The Board had leased 2-acres of the land to an NRI for 33 months. The NRI began running a private school on it four years ago. The authorities have refused to allow Ahmed to visit the site. “I have sought support from the police, the local administration and the Waqf Board, but to no avail.” Apathetic authorities
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Gurdaspur roads in poor state
Gurdaspur, September 19 The deteriorating condition of roads can be gauged from the fact that vehicle agencies are reporting an increase in the number of car owners who are coming to them for “wheel balancing” and “wheel alignment” works. The road stretch between Jahaz Chowk and the Pathankot railway crossing has earned the sobriquet of a “killer zone”. However, nothing has been done Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Trikha said he would hold a meeting of officials concerned soon to smoothen out the rough edges. The 10-km Gurdaspur-Behrampur stretch should have been in good condition because of the grandiose plans of the state government to convert the Keshopur wetland area into a tourist hub. “We pay road tax while getting our vehicles registered. Going by the pathetic condition of roads, I wonder where that money goes? It is better to stop paying taxes if the state cannot provide us basic amenities!” said a local resident. The condition of the jail road, Behrampur road, college road via Mustafabad minor is also bad. Many schools are located on this road. In the neighbouring township of Dinanagar, the problem is getting worse with every passing day. “Heavy vehicles engaged in ferrying mining material from Makkoran Pattan to other cities have damaged almost all the roads leading to the town,” said Nividha Mahajan, a lecturer. A PWD official claimed locals were “willing” to pay nominal toll tax, provided the roads are given to private parties on a build-operate- transfer (BOT) policy. “Tax should be imposed on the road leading to Keshopur wetland since a large number of eco-tourists are expected to visit the area once the wetland is accorded the “eco-tourism” status,” he said.
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Power theft in Moga
Patiala, September 19 The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, PSPCL, KD Chaudhri, said the Enforcement Wing had checked electricity connections at the house and workshop of Gurpreet Singh in Rama village in Moga district. “Upon checking, it was found that meter seals have been tampered with. Later, he gave in writing that the meter seals had been tampered by him in connivance with Jagsir Singh,” he said. Officials of the Anti-Power Theft Police Station, Ludhiana, raided Jagsir Singh’s house, where 77 tampered seals/meters were found. “Jagsir disclosed that the job of tampering meters/seals was being done by other persons too, following which an FIR was registered against these persons,” Chaudhri said.
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Pinki issuing threats, says victim's father
Ludhiana, September 19 Terrorist-turned police informer Pinki, who later donned the khaki, had landed into a controversy after he was released prematurely by the state government on June 24. The state government is currently reviewing the case. Amrik alleged Pinki, along with his gunmen, intercepted him on Cemetry Road and told him to withdraw the writ petition filed in the High Court. Pinki could not be contacted.
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Bail for Daduwal in arms case
Mansa, September 19 The police had recovered ammunition from a jeep. They had claimed to have found the adhaar card of Daduwal from the vehicle, which allegedly belonged to one of his followers. Daduwal, who is lodged in a Faridkot jail, was booked in four different cases, two each in Faridkot and Mansa. Besides reopening of two old cases, two fresh cases were lodged by the Faridkot and Mansa police on August 22 and August 27, respectively. Daduwal is yet to get bail in old cases, including the one under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353, 324, 323, 186, 148, 149, of the IPC and 25, 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act lodged at the Jaitu police station on March 16, 2009. The case was registered after a clash between the police and Sikhs over Daduwal's diwan (religious congregation) that was being objected to by followers of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda and the other registered by the Bhikhi police in Mansa district on January 2, 2011, under various sections of
IPC.
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State told to issue notification for CBI probe in Vidhu Jain murder
Chandigarh, September 19 The direction came after the CBI informed the court that it had not so far received any formal notification or intimation from the Punjab Government to investigate the matter. As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench also directed the counsel for the state to inform the court regarding the issuance of the notification on September 29. Earlier during the hearing, the state counsel also told the Bench that security was offered to the victim's family, but it was not accepted by them. The counsel said the police had, however, made security arrangements around their residence. Justice Paramjeet Singh had, on the previous date of hearing, virtually rapped the Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police for failure to provide security to the family; and had given a week's time to the CBI to submit its reply in the matter. Seeking directions for a time-bound CBI probe into the entire matter under the supervision of a retired high court judge for speedy justice, Vidhu's mother Arti Jain had earlier sought protection of life and liberty for 2,500 members of the Jain community living in the Malerkotla area, as they were allegedly targeted by a particular community. She alleged her son was burnt by five youngsters of Malerkotla town in broad daylight, but the investigation agencies in the state did nothing to arrest the culprits. She also sought direction to probe the role of police officials, who deliberately did not investigate the case properly and also failed to collect relevant evidence from the place of occurrence, which ultimately helped the accused. The directive
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Notice to state on doctors’ protection
Chandigarh, September 19 Taking up the petition, a Division Bench of the High Court put the States of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Administration on notice. The counsel for the petitioner averred that the Supreme Court in the cases of Jacob Mathew versus State of Punjab and Martin F D’Souza versus Mohd Ishfaq had framed certain guidelines to protect the doctors against unwarranted criminal prosecution, while enunciating the law pertaining to medical negligence. Counsel Preetinder Singh Ahluwalia further submitted that the guidelines were not being followed and cases were being registered against the doctors without complying with the guidelines framed in the cases in the states of Punjab and Haryana as well as in Chandigarh. Group convener Dr Neeraj Nagpal claimed the RTI information was collected from the Superintendents of Police in Punjab and Haryana. He added that in Chandigarh, two doctors were arrested from a hospital in Sector 20 without medical board’s opinion about three years ago. The doctors were arrested, despite the investigating officer being personally informed about the Supreme Court judgments. The group has asked for amendment of police rules to specify punishment for police personnel flouting Supreme Court guidelines. Fixing December 4 as the next date of hearing in the matter, the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu observed that the petitioner, through the public interest litigation, was fighting for the cause of “doctors regarding their protection from unwarranted prosecution”.
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Onus of due diligence on property buyer, says High Court
Chandigarh, September 19 The ruling by Justice Paramjeet Singh came on a bunch of five anticipatory bail pleas against the State of Punjab. The petitions were filed after an FIR for cheating and other offences was registered on July 13 under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC at the Bathinda cantonment police station. The petitioners included the owners and vendors of the property allegedly sold by them. The witnesses to the sale deed too were seeking anticipatory bail. The counsel for the vendors or the sellers contended that they had been shown owners in the revenue record. Their names were still mentioned in the jamabandi. As such, they had rightly sold the property. The witnesses to the sale deed contended they had identified the “correct person” who sold the land. Their counsel added there was no dispute regarding the identity of the sellers. As such, the witnesses had been wrongly arrayed as accused in the case. The vendee, on the other hand, contended that he purchased the property by verifying the revenue record. There was no change of ownership in the revenue record to show that the property has already been acquired by the Improvement Trust. Taking up the matter, Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted: “There are specific allegations that the property in question was acquired vide a notification dated back to 1990 and the same has vested in the Improvement Trust, which is a public body…. Since the property has been acquired by notifications issued as per the provisions of law before the acquisition of the land, the notification itself being a public notice is a notice to all persons.
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Robbers strike petrol pump
Hoshiarpur, September 19
An employee, Jograj of Jandoli, reported the matter to the Sadar police. He said he and his two other co-workers were at the filling station last night when the incident took place. A case has been registered. — OC
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Amritsar, September 19
Villagers
of Mehlan, 10 km from Sangrur, locked the gate of the local Government Senior
Secondary School this morning, demanding cancellation of the transfer of its
principal Manjit Kaur. They staged a dharna in front of the gate during the
school working hours. Manjit Kaur was transferred from here about three weeks
ago.
Ludhiana, September 19
Amritsar, September 19
Residents of several villages in the Amloh sub-division protested the setting up of a distillery near a shrine in Kumbhra village and blocked the Amloh-Khanna state highway on Friday. They demanded that Deputy Commissioner Arun Sekhri addressed their grievances. Jagbir Singh
Salana, who is spearheading the campaign, said the distillery was not even 100 metres away from the
gurdwara.
Chandigarh, September 19
Mansa, September 19
Election promises are usually hollow and disconnected with the reality on the ground. Simply put, nothing is possible without money and the Punjab govt has its coffers empty 
Farmers have not taken to diversification. They want to be assured of fixed returns. Farmers could take to growing hybrid maize with a yield of eight quintals per acre, but want MSP for the
same
For better utilisation of canal water, farmers have been asked to deposit a paltry Rs 50 with the XENs. Computerisation of land records is nearly complete. It is difficult to prepare PAU for another revolution with more than 90 per cent of the grant being spent on
salaries.
The Chief Minister’s image as a champion of farmers has been shattered. His ally, the BJP, has cold-shouldered all his demands. It is a pity that the farmers continue to commit suicide. The government is organising sham events like agriculture summits. 