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Give Chandigarh to Punjab, says Badal
Notification to regularise illegal colonies issued
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Book untrained midwives for murder, Muktsar cops told
Congress block chiefs in Delhi, demand PPCC chief’s ouster
NDA biased against state, alleges Cong
Bhagwant Mann hears people’s grievances
Youth Congress, AAP protest poor rail connectivity
Harsimrat must quit, says Bajwa
Raje Govt inducts ministers from border districts
More babus opting for central posting
Rice millers oppose cut in paddy milling charges
Police probing accused Pannu’s political links
AISSF calls for statewide bandh on Nov 1
Differently abled seek jobs, threaten protest
Vet pharmacist on fast shifted to hospital
Motorists using loud horns to be penalised
BBMB posts to be filled
Dalits resent delay in auction of village panchayat land
Jyani conducts surprise check at Rajpura hospital
Keen to revive ropeway project: Minister
Cattle fair ground fails to serve the purpose
Asha workers protest poor wages
Amogh Division celebrates Infantry Day in Abohar
23 days on, no clue to missing boy
Hefty power bill complaints flood consumer forum
Matter must be taken to its logical end: HC
No to pay ransom costs migrant life
Day after accident, bus driver booked
Minor raped in Sangrur
Akali sarpanch shot dead in Faridkot
Cops arrest five youths to prevent gunfight
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Give Chandigarh to Punjab, says Badal
Pheruman (Amritsar), October 27Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today demanded that Haryana’s Punjabi-speaking areas and Chandigarh be transferred to Punjab. Interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a function organised to pay tributes to Shaheed Darshan Singh Pheruman here today, the Chief Minister said every Punjabi was concerned about these issues which had yet been hanging fire because of the “discriminatory” attitude of successive Congress governments at the Centre. Badal said it was sad that after more than four decades of Pheruman’s martyrdom, these issues were yet to be resolved. “Punjabis will never forgive the Congress’ attempts to deny Chandigarh to Punjab. I caution the people not to be swayed by Congress’ malicious propaganda as the party was behind Operation Bluestar and the genocide of Sikhs in 1984,” he said. Paying tributes to Pheruman, Badal said the latter had laid down his life to press the Centre to transfer Punjabi-speaking areas and Chandigarh to Punjab. He said the SAD would take up these issues with the Centre. The Chief Minister recalled the services rendered by Pheruman during the freedom struggle and the Gurdwara Reform Movement. He announced that beginning next year, a state-level function would be held every year on the martyr’s death anniversary. Pheruman had died while fasting. Prominent among those present on the occasion were Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, MP, Manjit Singh Mianwind and Baljeet Singh Jalaal Usma, both MLAs, former MP Rajmohinder Singh Majithia, former MLA Manmohan Singh Sathiala and president of SAD’s district unit Veer Singh Lopoke.
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Notification to regularise illegal colonies issued
Jalandhar, October 27 People who had been awaiting an extension since the policy lapsed on March 31 will now be able to apply afresh with their respective civic bodies. A. Venu Prasad, Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, said: “We will issue a public notice on the matter. Owners of properties in illegal colonies who could not apply earlier can now get their properties legalised.” The Housing and Urban Development Department had earlier received two lakh applications and collected Rs 500 crore. The Local Bodies Department too had received 1.28 lakh applications for regularisation of properties. There are over 10,000 illegal colonies in the state. Sources said not a single penny from the amount thus collected had so far been utilised in any of these colonies. Sunil Jyoti, Mayor, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, had said funds collected from 29,186 applicants had been kept aside. “We will be able to spend it only after we get a clearance,” he had said. Priyank Bharti, Director, Local Bodies, however, said: “The policy entails that the funds so collected be used for development purpose by the respective civic bodies. The Mayor can convene a House meeting and decide on how to use the amount for providing civic amenities in various colonies.” No House meeting has been convened by the Jalandhar MC since January 24. The Secretary, Housing, said there was no bar on use of funds. “The policy clearly spells out that the funds can be used for laying roads, connecting sewerage, installing streetlights and other civic amenities in illegal colonies. The colony which has contributed more will be given a preference”, he said.
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Book untrained midwives for murder, Muktsar cops told
Muktsar, October 27 Jaskiran Singh, District Magistrate, Muktsar, said, “To keep a check on un-institutional deliveries in the district, the authorities concerned have been directed to book the untrained midwife under section 302 of the IPC if the mother or the child dies at the time of delivery.” The district magistrate also directed the officials concerned to ensure that 100 per cent of pregnant women and newborn babies be registered. Sources said the officials were alerted when they found out about an illegal practice taking place in Lakhewali area. Dr Narinder Singh, Civil Surgeon, Muktsar, also appealed the citizens to take expectant mothers to government institutions to ensure a safe delivery. “In the government hospitals, both caesarean section and normal deliveries are performed for free. Moreover, the government pays mothers after the birth of the child,” he said. Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), the Centre gives Rs 700 for a rural institutional delivery and Rs 600 for an urban institutional delivery. Further, the state government provides Rs 1,000 under the Mata Kaushalya Kalyan Yojana
(MKKY).
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Congress block chiefs in Delhi, demand PPCC chief’s ouster
New Delhi, October 27 Five block presidents from Ludhiana today sought an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the “leadership crisis” in the Punjab Congress. Among those seeking a change in state leadership are block presidents Baljinder Singh Bunty, Palwinder Singh, Satwinder Singh Jagaddi, Rakesh Sharma and Vinod Bhatla and Pawan Dewan, former block president of Ludhiana (urban) whom was sacked by Bajwa recently. Dewan claimed: “I was sacked because I worked for Preneet Kaur in Patiala during the Assembly elections though Bajwa had asked me to campaign in Talwandi Sabo. I told the PCC chief that as head of an urban block, I could only canvass in an urban constituency, but that didn’t help.” The block presidents raising a banner of revolt clearly indicates discontent in the Congress rank and file in Punjab. Top Punjab Congress leaders today told The Tribune that the anti-Bajwa sentiment was growing. “Only top leaders don’t seem to understand the pulse of the party cadre. It’s a case of Nero fiddling as Rome burnt,” observed a Congress leader, warning of adverse results in Punjab close on the heels of party’s rout in Haryana and Maharashtra. Despite the voices against Bajwa, the party high command is buying time on the issue. Sources in the Punjab Congress said Rahul’s recent visit to Chandigarh was meant to forge unity. But it has worsened the situation. “Party workers are frustrated at the fact that their leaders don’t know what is happening on the ground. They only know what is being selectively fed to them,” said a senior leader. Another leader said: “We fear that space for a third force in Punjab may be wrested by the BJP if the Congress doesn’t act in time by putting the right people at the right places, if we are to return to power in 2017.” In Haryana where the high command endorsed the leadership of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, despite dissent against him, the party finished a poor third in the state elections.
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NDA biased against state, alleges Cong
Chandigarh, October 27 “Despite getting huge grants and projects, you (Badal) always accused Dr Manmohan and the UPA of step-motherly attitude towards Punjab. But with Modi at the helm of affairs, Punjab has not got a penny from the Centre.” said Randhawa. Pointing out that Punjab had been refused a special package by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as well as bonus for its paddy farmers, the MLA said it was clear that the NDA government was meting out a step-motherly treatment to Punjab. “Even the humiliation you faced during the swearing-in ceremony of Haryana CM clearly indicates that you no longer have a say in the NDA. While Dr Manmohan never ignored you, Modi did not bother to acknowledge you.” Randhawa said. He asked Badal to part ways with the
BJP.
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Bhagwant Mann hears people’s grievances
Sangrur, October 27 Mann said bereaved families were running from pillar to post to get jobs on compassionate grounds, but the government departments were not doing so. He said people also apprised him about problems such stagnant water and broken roads. They also complained about corruption by patwaris and others in government offices. He said he would send all these cases to the officers concerned with the direction to send him reply in a stipulated period. Mann said he would spend his MPLAD fund with the consent of the people. He said some persons of a registered society from Dhuri had met him seeking Rs 5 lakhs for constructing a community hall for the poor. He said he would give money to the society. He would also give an ambulance to the Government Hospital, Bhadaur (Barnala), he said. He said a project to install an RO system at Mangwal village had been hanging fire. He said if no fund had been released for the project so far, he would extend grant for it from his MPLAD fund.
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Youth Congress, AAP protest poor rail connectivity
Ferozepur, October 27 The activists of Youth Congress, National Student Union of India (NSUI), Bharti Kisan Union (Ugraha), Aam Aadmi Party and Youth PPP and various NGOs sat on a dharna outside the office of the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). Addressing the protest, Vikram Chowdhry president, Punjab Youth Congress, said it was unfortunate that the Modi Government had failed to start the project. Chowdhry said hundreds of traders, students and government officials, who commute between Ferozepur and Chandigarh daily, would benefit from the train. He alleged the state government didn’t launch the train as it was under pressure from private transporters. Earlier, the
Ferozepur-Chandigarh Express had started chugging between the two stations as a holiday special train this year, but it was discontinued. The train had got a tremendous response. Several Congress leaders, including Anumeet Singh Sodhi aka Heera, Gurbjeh Singh Tibbi, Sukhminder Singh Arif Ke and Anand Dahiya were present on the spot. Sodhi said that everyday 11 Congress workers would sit on a dharna outside the DRM’s office until the train was commissioned. Tibbi accused CM Prakash Singh Badal and his son Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal of not letting the project take off. He said they didn’t want to hurt the interests of the transporters. The Congress leaders also demanded a CBI enquiry into the multifold increase in the property allegedly owned by the Rail Minister. Amandeep Kaur, District Convener of AAP, said a delegation of AAP had asked Akali Dal MP Sher Singh Ghubaya to start the train a few months ago, but to no avail. When contacted, Kamal Sharma, state BJP president, said he had taken up the matter with the Rail Minister and the train would be launched soon. What they say The state government hasn't launched the train as it is under pressure from private transporters — Vikram Chowdhry, president, Punjab Youth Congress A delegation of AAP had asked Akali Dal MP Sher Singh Ghubaya to start the train a
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Harsimrat must quit, says Bajwa
Ludhiana, October 27 Bajwa is on a three-day visit to the city to mobilise cadre at the grass-roots level. He said he would seek feedback from party leaders working at the grass-roots level regularly. Bajwa is scheduled to meet party leaders, councillors and workers from the six urban Assembly constituencies of the district. He said: "As PPCC chief, I want to know about the problems being faced by people of particular areas." He said a regular feedback mechanism would be evolved and booth-level party workers would be involved in the exercise. He alleged the faulty policies of the SAD-BJP government had left the Punjab's economy in tatters. A section of Congress workers burnt Bajwa's effigy and raised slogans in favour of Capt Amarinder Singh, Amritsar MP.
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Raje Govt inducts ministers from border districts
Abohar, October 27 Surinderpal Singh TT of border segment Srikaranpur was inducted as the Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge. He had defeated MoS Gurmeet Singh Kunnar of Ashok Gehlot-led Congress Cabinet in 2013 by a margin of 3,853 votes in a triangular contest. An alumnus of SGN Khalsa College Sriganganagar, Singh owns agricultural farms in Chak 50GG. He will be the only Sikh face in the Raje Cabinet. The BJP had fielded 3 Sikh candidates in Vidhan Sabha elections. Two of them Surinderpal Singh (Srikaranpur) and Gurjant Singh Brar (Sadulshehar) had won. Four-time winner Ram Pratap, a physician, is among the four new Cabinet ministers sworn in. The BJP workers celebrated his induction in Hanumangarh. Ram Pratap Sahu belongs to the Jat community.
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More babus opting for central posting
Chandigarh, October 27 Four senior IPS officers of Punjab, Samant Goel, Anil Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Ram Singh, have been empanelled with the Government of India. While Goel and Anil Kumar have been empanelled as ADGPs, the other two have been empanelled as IGs. Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Navreet Singh Kang has already been posted Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Health, whereas another top bureaucrat, Suresh Kumar, presently posted as Financial Commissioner (Development), too, has reportedly been aiming for a stint at the Centre. Central deputation, considered by officers as an assured step for career growth, had not been very popular with the bureaucrats in Punjab till recently. In 2012, not even a single IPS officer wanted to serve at the Centre. A few bureaucrats cited “favouritism” in appointment for plum posts as the reason behind the reversal in trend in Punjab. They said plum posts in the state had allegedly been reserved for those who were in the good books of political bosses. A senior IAS officer said both the bureaucracy and the police had become too top heavy and as such, there was limited scope for work. “Those who like challenges in their job or want to specialise in a particular field are applying for vacancies at the Centre,” he said. The sanctioned strength of IAS officers in Punjab is 221, and that of the IPS officers is 172. Of these officers, 20 per cent can proceed on deputation. But, the state is already short of bureaucrats and is making do with around 180 IAS and 140 IPS officers. The departure of more officers could affect governance in Punjab. Reversal in trend *
Till 2012, hardly any IPS officer wanted to serve at the Centre * But, a change has been witnessed in this trend among officers of late *
Officers have been seeing central deputation as an assured step for career growth Favouritism a factor? *
A few bureaucrats have blamed the "favouritism" in appointment to plum posts as the reason behind the reversal in trend in Punjab. They said plum posts in the state had allegedly been reserved for those who were in the good books of political bosses.
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Rice millers oppose cut in paddy milling charges
Chandigarh, October 27 From the current season, the milling charges have been reduced from Rs 15 to Rs 10 per quintal. The transportation charges have been taken out of it. Rice Millers Association president Tarsem Saini has urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up the issue with the authorities concerned at the Centre. The association said the FCI should settle the issue of transportation of rice from the mill premises to rice stacking store of the FCI. The millers were earlier not claiming transportation charges up to 8 km. But, the millers have demanded that as the FCI had changed its policy, the agency should pay transportation charges from the mill to the stacking point. Saini said the FCI was saving crores in the form of transportation charges because in Punjab, rice mills had been declared stacking points. He said in other states, the paddy was first taken from grain market to stacking point and then from stacking point to the rice mill. “The FCI has to bear transportation charges in both these cases,” said Saini. The association said the milling charges should also be revised. “For the past 10 years, the FCI has not revised the milling charges. In Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, paddy worth Rs 10,000 crore was damaged because of non-milling and had to be sold to distilleries. Had adequate milling charges been paid, this paddy could have been converted into rice,” he said.
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Brig Arora is Defence Welfare chief
Chandigarh, October 27 Brig Arora was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery and he commanded an infantry brigade in Dera Baba Nanak Sector close to the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. He also served as Deputy General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division in Jammu and Kashmir. An alumnus of Panjab University and the Higher Command Course at the Army War College, he was approved for promotion to the rank of Major General, but had to retire due to age constraints.
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Police probing accused Pannu’s political links
Chandigarh, October 27 Though he had absconded, he was allegedly seen at AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s function at Punjab Bhawan recently. But PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa denied knowing anyone by that name. “It seems a mischievous move to malign the Congress,” he said. In the FIR registered with the Faridkot police under Sections 420, 392, 468, 471 and 472 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act on October 18, Gurtej Singh is among 12 persons accused of selling smuggled arms on forged documents to unsuspecting buyers. The Faridkot police suspects that Gurtej Singh’s house here may have been used as a hideout by notorious gangster
Paras, involved in 14 murders and 14 cases of extortion. Paras, who is in custody, has reportedly told the police that he and others would often reside with Gurtej Singh in Chandigarh. A senior police official claimed that Gurtej Singh had easy access to senior Congress functionaries. He had tried making links in the BJP too but without success, said reliable sources.
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AISSF calls for statewide bandh on Nov 1
Jalandhar, October 27 Addressing the media, AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad said 30 years after the riots, the the victims were still waiting for justice. He said all religious groups had been approached for their support for the bandh. He claimed that medical and other emergency services would not be affected during the bandh. “To show solidarity with the 1984 Sikh genocide victims, we appeal to the people of Punjab and the Punjab government to support the bandh call and keep government offices, businesses and educational institutions closed on November 1,” Peermohammad said. “Sikh human rights groups have reached a consensus that the recent discovery of mass killings of Sikhs in more than 100 cities throughout India proves that it was genocide as defined in Article 2 of the UN Convention on Genocide. The gravity and scale of the gruesome attacks was concealed by the Indian government,” the AISSF president said. He said despite the Nanavati Commission recommendations, successive Congress governments had shielded senior Congress leaders from prosecution for their role in the November 1984 riots. “Since the SAD is now part of the BJP-led government at the Centre, the victims want that cases be filed against Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler,” he said. He alleged that Sikh, their properties and places of worship were attacked. While thousands of Sikhs had died, more than 3,000,00 Sikhs had been uprooted, he claimed. Among the organisations that have supported the Punjab bandh call are the Damdami Taksal, the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, the United Sikh Movement, the 1984 Dharmi Fauji Welfare Society’s, the Sikh Federation (Bhindrawala), the DSGPC, the Sarbat Khalsa Lehar and Bhai Dharam Singh Trust.
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Differently abled seek jobs, threaten protest
Chandigarh, October 27 Mangal Singh, president of the union, said they had not been given their due despite a 3 per cent quota in government jobs for the differently abled. The union members held a demonstration near the CM’s residence, but they were shifted to Sector 25. A delegation of the union met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the evening. Badal gave them a patient hearing and sought two days’ time to resolve the matter. They urged Badal that they should be recruited against their quota in the Local Bodies Department. Mangal Singh said: “We have told the Chief Minister that we will begin an indefinite fast if they are not given jobs”. He alleged the government had filled hundreds of posts in the municipal bodies without issuing any advertisement.
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Vet pharmacist on fast shifted to hospital
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 27 Demanding regularisation of rural veterinary pharmacists working since 2006 under the zila parishad, Munish Garg had been on a fast since October 14. His health had deteriorated. Fatehgarh Sahib DSP Hardevinder Singh said a team of doctors examined Garg and found that he had developed some health complications. Following the report of the doctors, he was asked to get admitted to the hospital for treatment, but the protesters refused to end their protest. The police then had to use force, he added. The DSP said Munish was admitted to the hospital while four union members were booked for creating ruckus. Some other protesters also obstructed officials from performing their duty. Efforts were on to identify and arrest them, he added.
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Motorists using loud horns to be penalised
Chandigarh, October 27 Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar today said the new guidelines were to be implemented to ensure safety of commuters and pedestrians and to bring down the noise pollution. He said the authorities concerned, including district transport officers, had been asked to take strict action against motorists for using loud horns. The violators would have to pay hefty fine. Their vehicles could be impounded or their driver’s licence cancelled, Kohar said. Only police vehicles, fire brigades and ambulances were allowed to use multi-toned horns, that too during the course of their duty, the minister said.
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BBMB posts to be filled
Ropar, October 27 Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, who was here today to visit the Sutlej headworks, said a proposal in that regard was being prepared and applications would be invited for the posts soon. Various posts among administrative staff and junior engineers were lying vacant, he said. He said he would visit all headworks to ensure that there was no water wastage. Replying to a query over portrayal of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the chief ministerial candidate by a segment of BJP workers in the state, he said such things were being propagated by people who did not have any other thing to do.
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Dalits resent delay in auction of village panchayat land
Sangrur, October 27 The auction had to be cancelled on several occasions as Dalits of the village had been opposing participation of any Dalit in the auction on behalf of upper-caste people. Resentment prevails among Dalits due to non-auctioning of the land. They want to acquire this land via auction so that they could start farming jointly during the rabi season. They also want the auction to be done at low rates. State president of the Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union Sanjiv Mintoo said the Dalits met the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Sunam, some days ago to get the land auctioned at low rates. He said the BDPO told them that the auction could only be held with the consent of the village panchayat. Sunam BDPO Amit Kumar Batra said the auction could be done only after the village panchayat passed a resolution in that regard. So, a consensus among agitating Dalits and the panchayat was a must, he said. The agitating Dalits wanted to get the land at one-fourth the prevailing rate which was not possible, he added. Balad Kalan issue
The compromise reached among agitating Dalits of Balad Kalan village and those cultivating the panchayat land (reserved for SCs) in September this year is likely to be implemented in a smooth manner. The 110 acres of the panchayat land was allotted on lease in an auction for Rs 29.98 lakh by nine Dalits who had cultivated it during the kharif season. District convener of Zamin Prapati Sanghrash Committee (ZPSC) Mukesh Malaud said the issue had been settled as per terms of the compromise. Mirza Patti Namol row *
Six acres of cultivable panchayat land (reserved for SCs) of Mirza Patti Namol village could not been auctioned for cultivating it during the rabi season *
The auction had to be put off on several occasions as Dalits of the village had been opposing participation of any Dalit in the auction on behalf of upper-caste people.
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Jyani conducts surprise check at Rajpura hospital
Patiala, October 27 Talking to mediapersons, Jyani said he had received complaints that the hospital authorities were forcing patients to buy medicines from shops situated outside the hospital premises. The minister warned doctors against any such practice. Those indulging in such practices would have to face strict administrative and legal action. The medical prescription given to every patient must carry doctor's stamp, he said. Ultra-modern diagnostic centres would be established at district and tehsil levels so that X-ray, ultrasound and other test reports could be made available to the patients as soon as possible. These centres would be managed by private firms and the test facilities would made available to the patients at nominal rates. He asked doctors to visit schools regularly and ensure good health of students. The minister reiterated that the state government was committed to providing quality health care to all patients. He asked doctors to ensure availability of generic medicines at hospital medicine shops. Jyani also visited different wards where he met patients and their attendants to know about the functioning of the hospital. Chandigarh: A surprise checking of tehsil offices was conducted by all deputy commissioners on the directions of Chief Secretary, Sarvesh Kaushal. A total of 212 officials were found absent across the state. Show- cause notices are being issued to the absentees. Surprise inspections are part of the ongoing campaign by the Chief Minister to ensure punctuality in offices. An official spokesperson said 52 officials were found absent in Jalandhar, 28 In Fazilka, 26 in Amritsar and 24 in
Patiala.
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Keen to revive ropeway project: Minister
Chandigarh, October 27 Tourism Minister Sohan Singh Thandal said the matter was taken up with the Himachal Pradesh government and a request was made to review its decision to scrap the project. Thandal said he had recently met officials of the Himachal Tourism Development Corporation in Delhi. The project would help tap tourism potential and facilitate lakhs of pilgrims visiting Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi. Thandal said the Punjab Government had decided to construct a hotel on 7 acres of land in Anandpur Sahib for pilgrims and tourists. He claimed that the government had earmarked Rs 1,000 crore to promote tourism and renovate ancient monuments.
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Cattle fair ground fails to serve the purpose
Nabipur (Fatehgarh Sahib), October 27 Earlier, the cattle fair was organised on the outskirts of Sirhind town. With the coming up of the new grain market there, the venue had to be shifted from one place to the other. To make available a permanent venue for the fair, the cattle fair ground project was undertaken at a cost of Rs 7.56 crore. However, not a single cattle fair has been organised here so far. Two cattle fairs were proposed to be organised twice a month here. Cattle purchasers from Punjab and other states used to visit the Sirhind cattle fair. Dairy farmers in the district said they had to visit cattle fairs at Rajpura or Khanna for trading cattle. On papers, a cattle fair was being held at Sirhind, but actually the contractor was organising it at Khanna after getting consent from a senior Akali leader, sources in the Animal Husbandry Department said. Deputy Commissioner Arun Sekhri said the contractor had been paying the licence fee for organising the cattle fair in the district. Claiming that the cattle fair ground fell in their jurisdiction, Zila Parishad Chairman Baljeet Singh Bhutta said they had not received a single penny for the past two years. He said he had written to the Chief Minister urging him to direct the authorities concerned to organise the cattle fair in the district. He said he had also demanded that the licence fee should be deposited in the account of the zila parishad directly so that development works could be carried out in rural areas. Rs 7.56 crore spent *
Earlier, the cattle fair was organised on the outskirts of Sirhind town *
With the coming up of the new grain market there, the venue had to be shifted from one place to the other *
To make available a permanent venue for the fair, the cattle fair ground project was undertaken at a cost of Rs 7.56 crore *
However, not a single cattle fair has been organised here so far
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Asha workers protest poor wages
Fazilka, October 27 President Durgo Bai demanded that their arrears since 2013 be released; they be given accommodation at civil hospitals during night; their wages be paid by the seventh of every month; and that they got uniform allowance. They complained that the clinical examinations of pregnant women were not conducted due to shortage of staff in Jalalabad Civil Hospital. The post of gynaecologist had also been lying vacant for a long time, Durgo Bai said. They further demanded that the cheques of Zanani Surksha Yojna be released on time. — OC
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Amogh Division celebrates Infantry Day in Abohar
Abohar, October 27 Major General YT Jain, Brigadier JNS Bisht, Brigadier Birender Singh Dalal and Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Udhay Ram paid tributes to the martyrs at Shaurya Sthal. Major General YT Jain urged all infantrymen to attain higher standards of professionalism. The officers said the Indian Infantry was one of the most battle hardened force in the world. — OC
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23 days on, no clue to missing boy
Hoshiarpur, October 27 Though the police claim efforts were on to trace the Class VII student, Sonu’s parents alleged nothing much had been done to locate the victim. “The police conducted a search operation two days after my son went missing. But efforts ever since have been mere eyewash. They have told us to keep on trying on our own too… We are losing hope,” said Rekha, Sonu’s mother. Sonu’s father Murari Lal, a native of Bihar, said he and his wife were away for work and their son and daughter were at home. He said his son went to play in the neighbourhood around 2 pm and did not return after that. Rekha said the police had been telling them that Sonu may have started working somewhere and would return on his own. She alleged it had been more than 10 days since no police official had contacted them. Station House Officer (Model Town) Bharat Masih said search was on to locate the boy. On the allegations levelled by Sonu’s mother, he said, “We are trying our best. We have again alerted the neighbouring police stations. The circumstantial evidence indicates that he may have started working at some other place.”
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Hefty power bill complaints flood consumer forum
Bathinda, October 27 The consumers approached the forum after failing to get justice from Powercom. Most of the residential and commercial localities in Bathinda were not getting their bills for the past over four to six months. The households that otherwise used to pay a sum of Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 have got bills ranging from Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh. Lawyers in the district courts said the number of such complainants was on the rise. Advocates Harjinder Sidhu and Ashok Gupta said two to three fresh complaints of exorbitant bills were being filed daily. Ironically, several Powercom employees and retirees are among the complainants. “The previous bill of my house situated on Ajit Road was Rs 12,790. But this time I have been issued a bill of Rs 1.56 lakh,” said advocate Pargat Singh. The previous bill, alike the latest one, was for four months, he said. Pargat said the Powercom officials refused to act on his written complaint that he submitted to the Sub-Divisional Officer concerned. He said he had now approached the Consumer Forum. Manohar Lal, a resident of Janta Nagar, he had a refrigerator, two fans and a cooler at his house, and that he used to get a bill of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. “But this time I have been issued a bill of Rs 98,000,” he said. A complainant said the authorities did not issue bills for the past four months, and that now they had added surcharge without any fault of the consumers. Harkrishan Sharma and Mohit Jindal of Multania Road and Power House Road too accused the authorities of issuing faulty bills of Rs 1.5 lakh. The complainants said though the Powercom officials assured of action in the matter, “nothing had been done yet”. Sandeep Kumar, Sub-Divisional Officer, admitted to the mistake. He said the exorbitant bills would be adjusted, but the consumers would have to present their cases in writing to the Sub-Divisional Officer concerned. Powercom officials said such problems cropped up at times due to lack of coordination as the officials noting down meter reading and those preparing bills were from separate wings of the department.
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Matter must be taken to its logical end: HC
Chandigarh, October 27 Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal said the matter was required to be taken to its logical conclusion. The observations came after a petition filed in public interest by Punjab’s former Director-General of Police KPS Gill and others came up for resumed hearing this afternoon. The team, constituted to probe the selection of 312 medical officers by the Punjab Public Service Commission in 2008-09, claims that the entire process was “full of blatant irregularities.” Its report, placed before the Bench on May 26, has already been accepted by Punjab in toto. As the case came up for hearing, counsel SK Garg Narwana told the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice Grewal: “The report is already there. Whether it is required to be acted upon needs to be discussed.” The case will now come up for further hearing on December 16.
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No to pay ransom costs migrant life
Batala, October 27 A police official said the gang was allegedly active in the area for the past several weeks and its members used to extort money from migrants. Senior Superintendent of Police Mamninder Singh said a case had been registered against two persons at Batala (City) police station on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim’s wife, Anju. The complainant alleged that the gang members regularly used to extort money from labourers working in the town. She said her husband had to face the wrath of the gang members when he refused to pay them this time. Anju claimed her husband was killed to set an example for other labourers. Station House Officer Harit Sharma said preliminary investigations suggested that the gang, operating from Harnam Nagar locality, had been collecting extortion money every month from migrants. “It appears Pappu was badly beaten up and when his condition deteriorated, the gang members threw him in front of his house,” he said. Principal shot at Batala: Three persons fired at the principal of a private school, Pankaj Chopra, at Rangar Nangal near here on Monday. The principal was rushed to an Amritsar hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. A police officer said the victim, a resident of Bank Colony, was driving back to his residence when three unidentified motorcycle-borne youths fired at his vehicle probably with an intent to loot. Chopra suffered injuries on his legs and backbone.
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Day after accident, bus driver booked
Tarn Taran, October 27 The driver, Kishan Singh of Jammu, was booked under various sections of the IPC. The bus (JK02AT-9939) was on its way from Patti to Jammu when the accident occurred. Rashpal Singh Ghuman, Superintendent of Police (Investigation), said the driver of the bus managed to escape after the accident.
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Minor raped in Sangrur
Sangrur, October 27 The police said accused Kuldip Singh, who ran a dental clinic at Sheron village, and one of his accomplices abducted the girl who had been residing with her grandparents. The duo took the girl to a tube well where an unidentified person was already present. The girl said she was raped by Kuldip Singh. The medical examination of the girl had also confirmed rape, the police said.
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Akali sarpanch shot dead in Faridkot
Faridkot, October 27 The Faridkot police have booked his father, two brothers, three relatives and four others. The sarpanch was driving a scooter with his wife on the pillion when they were waylaid by two unidentified persons,100 metres from their residence in Harinder Nagar. Baldev Singh was shot thrice in the head. He died instantly. His wife was unhurt. The assailants are believed to be contract killers. The police have registered a case against Head Constable Hardev Singh, deceased’s brother, Kewal Singh, another brother, Ram Singh, father, Fateh Singh, Karanbir Singh, Amandeep Singh, all close relatives, Dimpi
Samra, a property dealer, and three unidentified persons. Convicted in a kidnapping case last year, Samra is out on bail. — TNS
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Cops arrest five youths to prevent gunfight
Hoshiarpur, October 27 In 2 separate FIRs, the police have booked 26 gangsters under sections 148 and 149 of the IPC and sections 25, 29, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. The first police party, led by Sub-Inspector Tirath Ram nabbed Prabhjot Singh alias Jyoti of Khurdan village (PS Garhdiwala), Karnail Singh of Chakk Ladian, Prince, Mohit Jairath and Dinesh Kumar of Committee Bazaar Hoshiarpur. The police seized a pistol, a .12 bore gun and some sharp-edged weapons from them. The others, who were booked, are Sham Singh of Mukerian, John of Mukerian, Ghodi of Hariana, Sonu of Khun Khuna, Binder of Mukerian, Ranbir of Ghogra, Gikka of Niara, Kaka of Hoshiarpur, Aman Bains of Mukerian, Pankaj Bawa of Mukerian, Sunny of Mukerian, Julka of Mukerian, Sonu of Khanpur, Jeeti of Manjhpur, Mohan Bhalwan of Dasuya, Khurana of Talwara, Kapil of Hajipur, Parminder Singh of Mukerian, Dheera of Panwa and Jeeta Bhalwan of Dasuya. The police are conducting raids to arrest them. Tragedy averted *n The police had received a tip-off that two armed groups could get into a scuffle in Chakk Alla Baksh village near Mukerian *
Separate police parties were then sent to the spot
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Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today demanded that Haryana’s Punjabi-speaking areas and Chandigarh be transferred to Punjab.
Jalandhar, October 27
Despite Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s appeal to party’s Punjab leaders to remain united, block presidents from the state have landed in Delhi to demand the removal of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president (PPCC) Partap Singh Bajwa.
The activists of several political parties protested the Railway Ministry’s failure to commence the Ferozepur-Chandigarh Express train here today. Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda had announced the train in the 2014 Rail Budget in July.
While adding 14 members to her Cabinet, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today gave representation to the remote twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh. Ram Pratap Sahu of Hanumangarh and Surinderpal Singh TT of Sriganganagar were sworn in.
Rice millers in Punjab are up in arms against the Food Corporation of India
(FCI) for reducing transportation and milling charges for the rice meant for the central pool.
The All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and the Sikh Students Federation Mehta
(SSF) today gave a call for a statewide bandh on November 1 to protest the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The Handicapped Welfare Union, Punjab, today alleged the government had recruited about 9,000 persons in municipal committees under the Mohalla Sudhar Scheme without following the proper procedure.
The police this evening shifted rural veterinary pharmacist Manish
Garg, who had been on an indefinite fast in front of the Fatehgarh Sahib administrative complex for the past many days, to the civil hospital and arrested his four associates.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani conducted a surprise check at the Civil Hospital,
Rajpura, today. He remained there for about three hours, visited wards, checked attendance registers and other documents.
The police today booked the driver of the bus carrying a marriage party that fell into a gorge near Mianpur village yesterday, leaving six persons dead.
The driver, Kishan Singh of Jammu, was booked under various sections of the IPC.