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Imports from Pak resume at Attari ICP
BJP preparing to go it alone in 2017, hints Katheria
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Going downhill, PRTC to sell its assets
ASI among five held for kidnapping boy
SAD unperturbed, may turn to old ally BSP
4 ‘militants’ held near Nankana Sahib
Farmers ‘capture’ power station, switch on supply
Work on waste management project begins amid protest in Jalandhar
PSIEC to start mining ops soon
Arhtiyas on warpath, demand payment
PGIMER team approves site for satellite centre
Two armoured regiments get President’s Standards
Beas Dera chief meets Daduwal
Games medallists to be awarded on Nov 11
Capt opposes punitive taxes on plot owners
Animation film on Sikh history releases today
Two medicos suspended for ragging junior
Victim Manjit Arora with his parents at the Bathinda Civil Hospital on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph
Fewer Sangrur villages oppose liquor vends
Won’t allow SYL canal: BKU
Arjun Gill’s bail plea dismissed
Don’t appoint PCS officers: HC
HC: Can’t issue directions for condoning lecture shortage
US court to hear `84 riots case on Dec 2
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Imports from Pak resume at Attari ICP
Amritsar, November 5 Central Warehousing Corporation manager Rameshwar said the imports were back on track. Twenty-five trucks had arrived from Pakistan since morning, he added. He said the trade might return to normal tomorrow. Exporter Rajdeep Uppal said they were expecting that the border would witness resumption of exports soon. He said there were around 100-150 trucks, mostly loaded with soyabean, stranded at the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), waiting to cross over to Pakistan. He said they had called back trucks loaded with perishable items like tomatoes. He said they had not suffered any major losses till now as they were already prepared for at least a couple of holidays on Moharram. All-India Cement Importers Association chief MPS Chatha also heaved a sigh of relief while stating that it would have certainly hit them if the trade had remained suspended for a longer period. Earlier, there were reports that one of the reasons behind the suspension of the trade was the fact that the porters on the Pakistan side were injured in the terror strike at Wagah and some of them had died. The suicide attack at Wagah on Sunday has also underlined the need to further beef up the security at the Attari check post. At present, manual checking is done when trucks arrive from Pakistan. Full-truck scanners, which were promised at the time of the ICP's inauguration in April 2012, are yet to be installed. While Pakistan has two such scanners, the Indian authorities have to rely on small gadgets. Traders have also been seeking installation of full truck scanners at the ICP so as to make sure that a foolproof mechanism is in place to curb illegal activities like smuggling of contraband.
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BJP preparing to go it alone in 2017, hints Katheria
Chandigarh, November 5 To a query, he said it was unusual that the posts of Chief Minister and Deputy CM were held by one party. Asked to elaborate, he said the BJP was in no mood to take claim to the post of Deputy CM. Katheria, who met party MLAs last night, addressed district presidents today. He asked them to work towards increasing the party membership within the next few months so that the party became a force to reckon with in Punjab. Interacting with the media later, Katheria was cautious while responding to queries on the BJP’s alliance with the SAD, clearly indicating that the party does not want a confrontation with the SAD at this juncture. Describing the BJP-SAD ties as strong, he observed: “Nothing is certain in the world of politics.” Asked whether the SAD and the BJP would fight the 2017 Assembly elections together, Katheria said: “At this juncture it is hard to say anything on the issue.” On the SAD support to the INLD in Haryana, he said: “The party will contest on its own if it encounters a Haryana-like situation (SAD allies itself with a party opposing the BJP) in Punjab.” Admitting that there were issues that the alliance partners needed to sort out, Katheria said: “But there is a limit to everything.” He said the BJP had followed the coalition “dharma” conscientiously. “You should ask the Akalis whether they have followed the dharma or not,” he said. Katheria left for Delhi this evening. Unlike his predecessor Shanta Kumar, he did not meet any Akali leader.
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Going downhill, PRTC to sell its assets
Patiala, November 5 The properties are 8.45 acre land at its head office on the Nabha Road in Patiala and 818.51 square yards next to Phagwara bus stand. The liabilities mainly include retirement dues of employees, their GPF deposits, pending leave encashment, medical bills and other dues, which alone amount to Rs 200 crore. The decision comes following strictures from the Punjab and Haryana High Court which has directed the PRTC to dispose of its assets to pay dues of the pensioners. The PRTC had sold a part of its head office land three years ago. It had transferred the land to the Patiala Development Authority for a paltry Rs 20 crore. The PRTC has now decided to sell its properties on its own for an adequate price. The Patiala land is likely to fetch around Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 per square yard for residential and commercial part, respectively. The Phagwara property is commercial which is expected to fetch Rs 1.25 lakh per square yard. In 2012, the court had asked the PRTC to prepare a list of assets that could be sold to repay its debt. The corporation had proposed to merge the PRTC into the Punjab Roadways claiming that it would be profitable for both the establishments. While the PRTC would be able to clear its dues, its properties worth Rs 1,400 crore would be transferred to the state government, it had claimed. Since the government has rejected the proposal, the PRTC is left with no option but to sell its properties. Avtar Singh Brar, Chairman, PRTC, said they had floated tenders for the sale of their properties following court orders. "We have been trying to sell our properties for the past sometime. But the government has offered to pay a meagre amount while we had apprehensions over the credentials of private builders who had approached us. We will try to dispose of our properties at the earliest," he added. govt rejects merger plan
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ASI among five held for kidnapping boy
Abohar, November 5 The Rajasthan Police yesterday intercepted a Qualis vehicle (PB 08A 6845) in Hanumangarh, 65 km from here, and rescued Naresh. The accused policemen are posted at Harike police station in Tarn Taran district. Station House officer Pradeep Charan said Shyam Lal Meena of Jawar village in Jhalawar district had informed the police that five persons had kidnapped his son and were demanding ransom. Thereafter, the police stations on the roads linked with Punjab were put on high alert. Hanumangarh Superintendent of Police Sharat Kaviraj said all the five culprits had been nabbed and the boy rescued. He said the victim’s parents had been informed. A police team would escort Naresh Kumar to his native village, he said. He said during interrogation, the Punjab Police officer revealed that he planned the kidnapping to repay a loan of Rs 3 lakh. Sources said the case might unearth the police-drug peddlers nexus. The case
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SAD unperturbed, may turn to old ally BSP
Chandigarh, November 5 “The SAD does not need crutches for political survival. The party’s chief patron and president do not believe in snapping ties with their friends. But if the latter wish to try their luck on their own, so be it. The SAD is capable of winning elections on its own,” he said. Grewal pointed out that the issues raised by the Punjab BJP were related to ministries headed by BJP ministers. A section of Akali leaders believe the party can once again turn to its old ally, BSP. This could help the Akalis garner a large chunk of Dalit votes. The Dalits account for 32 per cent of the total voters in the state. It is learnt that the SAD is now working on image-building. It intends to address the issue of drugs as well as governance at the earliest. The party leadership wants the Right to Services Act be implemented at least a year before the Assembly elections in 2017. The induction of top industrialist into the party fold, (Rajinder Gupta, general secretary) is seen as a move to woo urban votes, especially the business community. Wary of the BJP strategy to polarise non-Sikh votes, the Akalis may have to fall back on its Panthic agenda to keep its core vote bank intact. To prevent desertions, the party leadership is keeping a watch on its senior leaders. Akali ministers, who have been resentful of centralisation of power, may be given more independence in running their ministries, say sources. Counter-strategy
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4 ‘militants’ held near Nankana Sahib
Four suspected militants were arrested as celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev's 546th birthday got underway at Nankana Sahib near Lahore on Wednesday.
Thousands of Sikh pilgrims have converged on the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism from India, Europe, North America and other parts across the globe, besides Pakistan, to participate in the celebrations. The Punjab government has deputed hundreds of police and paramilitary Rangers to ensure peaceful celebrations after which the pilgrims will also visit Lahore and Panjandrum Sahib, near Hasan Abdal. At least 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India are expected to participate in the anniversary celebrations, with many already gathered in Nankana Sahib. The anniversary celebrations will be held from November 7 to 11. Four suspects, identified as Sadoo, Hidayatullah, Umer Farooq and Riasat Ali, were arrested from Sheikhupura district. They were taken to an undisclosed location for questioning. According to preliminary investigations, the suspects were present in a gurdwara in the district. They had arrived there in a car supporting a fake media sticker. The suspects entered the gurdwara posing as mediapersons from Quetta, but were soon arrested. The suspects, hailing from different cities, reached Nankana Sahib via
Faisalabad. 5-day celebrations
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Farmers ‘capture’ power station, switch on supply
Moga, November 5 The farmers alleged they had sown potatoes on 65 per cent of their landholdings to lend a push to the state government’s initiative of crop diversification but the power corporation authorities were intentionally adopting an insensitive attitude on the issue. SGPC member Jugraj Singh Daudhar, who also reached the spot, asked the farmers to pass a resolution in the gram sabha to press for their demand for regular power supply to irrigate their fields and send it to the authorities concerned of the power corporation through the district administration. Priya Kant, assistant executive engineer of the power corporation posted at the feeder, told mediapersons that cuts were being imposed on rural feeders during the day on the directions of senior authorities. Another senior official of the corporation said the farmers were lying that they had cultivated potatoes on 65 per cent of the irrigated area of the village. They had cultivated potatoes on just 30 per cent of the irrigated area in the village. The state government gives eight-hour continuous power supply during the day to a village if its residents grow crops other than wheat and paddy on 65 per cent of the irrigated area. Some farmers alleged the SAD-BJP government was non-serious in promoting the diversification of crops, due to which various schemes launched by it over the past few years had not yielded good results. The controversy
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Work on waste management project begins amid protest in Jalandhar
Jalandhar, November 5 Over 1,500 police personnel and seven companies of Anti-Riot Police were deployed in the city as safai karamcharis and representatives of the Valmiki community flashed swords and sharp-edged weapons at protest rallies. The employees of JITF Urban Infrastructure Ltd, the private company engaged by the MC for the work, started work on the project. Guarded by the police, the staff of the firm today went to two colonies, Pucca Bagh and Kishan Nagar localities, and distributed two bins each to more than 500 families. The safai karamcharis initially opposed the move, but retreated seeing the riot police alongside the staff. Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jasvir Rai also accompanied the employees. The company also lifted garbage from three dumping sites near Garha Road, Model Town and Urban Estate. The police teams escorted the three trucks of the company to the main dumping site at Wariana twice in the day. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khehra said they would distribute bins again tomorrow amid tight security. He said they were trying to pacify the employees and go ahead with the project in a peaceful manner. Safai karamcharis, led by president of Safai Mazdur Union Chandan Grewal, have been threatening to go on a strike if their demand to stop work on the project was not met.
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PSIEC to start mining ops soon
Ropar, November 5 The quarries handed over to the PSIEC are located at Bela Ramgarh, Naangran, Bainara, Swara, Bhaleri, Raipur Saini, Chandpur, Majri Sarsa and Lodhipur. Sand is already being dug at six quarries at Surewal, Bhalan, Kiratpur Sahib, Palasi and Dayapur after these were auctioned to private bidders last year. It was on September 2 that state government approved amendments to the rules to allot quarries to the PSIEC to provide relief to the public from spiraling prices of sand and gravel. Ropar Mining Department General Manager Chaman Lal said all permissions including forest and environment clearance to start quarrying at these sites had been obtained by the Mining Department.
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Arhtiyas on warpath, demand payment
Khanna November 5 Commission agents at the Machhiwara grain market are also up in arms against the procurement agencies. Their association president Amrik Singh Aujla and former president Shakti Anand said the farmers were worried as they had no money to sow the next crop. They threatened to launch an agitation. 3,000 quintals paddy unsold in Abohar
Abohar: About 3,000 quintals of paddy PR variety parmal is lying unsold in the new grain market as the state government agencies withdrew from the market on Wednesday. The Bharatiya Kisan Union advised the farmers to explore other marketing avenues. As per information gathered by The Tribune, the state government agencies last year purchased 2.42 lakh quintals of the parmal variety. This year they bought 1.27 lakh quintals of paddy. Arhtiya Association president Pramil Kalani said Markfed, Punsup, Pungrain and State Warehousing Corporation officials had exhausted their funds. Kalani said some payments dating back to October 15 had not been made. Some farmers, who were guarding their produce, said they would take up the offer of private buyers who have quoted Rs 1,200 per quintal. The minimum support price (MSP) per quintal is Rs 1400.
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PGIMER team approves site for satellite centre
Ferozepur, November 5 The team last month visited various probable sites in the town for setting up the centre. A 100-bed hospital will also be set up. Dr GS Thakur, who along with Chief Engineer PS Saini and architect Trisha had visited the site, said the governing council would take the final call on the matter. Deputy Commissioner DPS Kharbanda also confirmed that the site near the ITI had been approved. Notwithstanding the approval of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare two years ago, the project has been delayed as the state government could not provide land for the project. The DC said of the 16 acre available at the site, 10 acres had already been transferred to the Health Ministry. He said the process to transfer the remaining 6 acres would also be completed soon. Once this satellite centre is established, it will give a major fillip to the healthcare sector in the region. Sources said initially around Rs 200 crore might be invested in the project.
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Two armoured regiments get President’s Standards
Gurdaspur, November 5 The President’s Standards are flags presented by the COAS on behalf of the President, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Army units that excel in the battlefield are offered the President’s Standards. “The day commemorates the men of both the regiments who laid down their lives for the country,” said an Army officer. Scores of T72 tanks gave salute to the Army chief at the sports stadium in the cantonment. Three Army choppers, one waving the Tricolour, flew above. The Army chief took the salute in an open modified jeep accompanied by two senior officers. Thereafter, Suhag mingled with the audience. Verses from the Guru Granth In his brief speech, Suhag exhorted the men to rise to the occasion and work harder now that their units had been given the prestigious Standards. He asked the jawans and the officers to keep their morale high come what may. In keeping with tradition, the Army Chief called out the names of all the officers who had worked for both the regiments. Once he finished his speech, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Prominent among those present were General KJ Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Rajeev Tewari, Lt Gen Ravindra Pratap Sahi, Lt Gen Ashok Kumar Mehta and Lt Gen AB
Shivane.
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Beas Dera chief meets Daduwal
Bathinda, November 5 Daduwal, who has been at loggerheads with the ruling SAD, was released from jail recently. When contacted, he said: “The dera chief came to my village this morning and stayed for about two hours. We discussed various issues.” He refused to give more details. One of Daduwal’s aides said: “The meeting can be seen as an effort by Sikh deras to unite against the Badals. Or it could be an attempt by the BJP to acquire complete power in the state”. In recent years, deras in the state have assumed political importance. While senior BJP leader LK Advani had met the Beas dera chief on May 18, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had met him in Mansa on May 30. Daduwal, who had taken over Gurdwara Guhla Cheeka Sahib in Haryana, was arrested after the Talwandi Sabo byelection. He was booked under the Arms Act by the Faridkot and Mansa police on August 22 and August 27. Also, two cases against him were reopened.
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Games medallists to be awarded on Nov 11
Chandigarh, November 5 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the sports portfolio, will honour the winners. A sum of Rs 4.29 crore would be distributed as prize money among 28 players, an official spokesman said. The Deputy Chief Minister said the state government was fully alive to its responsibility of encouraging sportspersons. Thirteen Asian Games winners would get Rs 2.79 crore as prize money, while 15 players who won medals in Glasgow Commonwealth Games would get Rs 1.5
crore.
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Capt opposes punitive taxes on plot owners
Patiala, November 5 "Don't punish the common man with exorbitant and punitive taxes to cover up your own fiscal profligacy and financial failures," he said.
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Animation film on Sikh history releases today
Chandigarh, November 5 "It took me five years to make this film," said Harry Baweja talking to The Tribune on the phone today. He said he spent two years doing research on the subject and then discussed it at length with the SGPC authorities. "I was able to convince the SGPC that time has come to present the Sikh history in visual medium as it has become a way of life for the new generation," he said. "SGPC's Dharam Parchar Committee gave valuable inputs to me to make it a perfect film," he added. "While making the movie, I visited Amritsar and met the SGPC authorities concerned to discuss various scenes and incorporate suggestions made by them about the historical events," he said. While conducting a research on the subject, he came across many facts that were not in public domain, he said. "I have included all these facts in my film with length slightly over two hours," he said. For instance, no one knows how two elder Sahibzadas spent their early childhood, how they got training of warfare and how two younger ones attained such a high determination at such a young age. "All four Sahibzadas were true heroes and I was keen that the entire world should know it. In due course, the film will be released in China and Japan also," he said. "I faced so many challenges while making the film. There are religious restrictions. We could not show moving images of Gurus. These were to be shown in static form. No one is allowed to play the character of Gurus in any form," he said. "To overcome this challenge, we had to be innovative," he said.
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Two medicos suspended for ragging junior
Bathinda, November 5 Manjit Arora alleged a couple of his seniors attacked him with sharp-edged weapons late Tuesday night outside a dhaba near the campus. He further alleged that they had been harassing him for the past one month. Manjit said, “A couple of my seniors often harassed me on hostel premises. They also threatened me with dire consequences if I didn’t follow their orders. On Tuesday night my seniors assaulted me near a dhaba.” He said after he complained to the PCR personnel that he was being ragged, the accused attacked him with sharp-edged weapons at the hostel. He further alleged that the hostel security staff didn’t come to his rescue. Principal of the college, Amanish Singh, said the two students had been suspended after a four-member investigation committee looked into the matter. “As per preliminary investigation, it seems like a duel. We have recorded Harmanpreet Singh’s statement. He had accompanied Manjit that day. If it is a case of ragging, the guilty will be punished,” Singh said. Anil Kumar, in charge of the Bhucho police post, said they would take action on the basis of the students’ statements.
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Fewer Sangrur villages oppose liquor vends
Sangrur, November 5 Of the 50 resolutions passed this year, the maximum number of 15 was passed in Sherpur block. Twelve resolutions were passed in Malerkotla and Dhuri blocks each. The 50 villages that passed the resolutions include Barri, Kherri Kalan, Farwahi, Fatehgarh Panjgrian, Eisapur (Landa), Herrike, Gobindpura, Mullowal (all in Sherpur block), Kanjhla, Meemsa, Ranike, Kaheru, Natt, Batuha (all in Dhuri block), Kuthala, Hathan, Bhaini Kalan, Mohrana, Mubarakpur Chungha (all in Malerkotla), Fatehgarh Chhana (Sangrur), Bibrri (Bhawanigarh), Harigarh and Munshiwala (Dirba) and Karoda (Andana). Dr AS Mann, president of a local NGO, Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum, said several panchayats were fed up with the apathetic attitude of the authorities. Mann demanded that Section 40 (2) of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act 1994 should be deleted as it provided the excise authorities with the right to reject resolutions on the pretext of seizure of a few bottles of illicit liquor from the villages.
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Won’t allow SYL canal: BKU
Ludhiana, November 5 BKU general secretary Puran Singh Shahkot and finance secretary Ajmer Singh Gill claimed that Haryana was already drawing more water than it was entitled. As a result, Punjab did not have sufficient water to meet its needs, they claimed. The BKU leaders said the new Haryana government intended to resume construction on
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Arjun Gill’s bail plea dismissed
Chandigarh, November 5 Arjun has been booked in an attempt to rape case on the complaint of the daughter of a Punjab Inspector-General of Police (IGP). The accused and the complainant were to tie the knot on November 30. Arjun’s counsel claimed that the registration of the case amounted to “misuse of power” as the girl’s father was “in active service of the Punjab Police, posted as IGP in Chandigarh”.
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Don’t appoint PCS officers: HC
Tribune News Service As the case filed by Krishan Gopal and another petitioner came up for hearing, senior advocate Girish Agnihotri contended that an FIR had been registered, suggesting that unfair means had been adopted by candidates at an examination centre. Justice Grover asserted: “If that is so, the ramification of such investigation would possibly indicate that the entire process is clouded with taint and, therefore, it would not be in the fitness of things if appointments pursuant to such a process are made”.
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HC: Can’t issue directions for condoning lecture shortage
Chandigarh, November 5 The ruling is significant as a considerable number of petitions are filed before the High Court on the matter. The judgment makes it clear that relief in this regard, if any, has to flow from the authorities concerned and not the courts. The importance of the judgment can also be gauged from the fact that no less than seven appeals were filed on the matter against Panjab University by LLB students. They had challenged dismissal of their petitions by a Single Judge vide a common order dated August 6. The issue for consideration before the Single Judge was “whether the appellants were rightly deprived of appearing in different examinations of LLB course due to gross shortage of lectures”. The Single Judge found that the appellants suffered from “shortage of lectures more than what could be condoned under the University regulations”. During the course of hearing of the appeals, counsel for the appellants primarily pleaded mercy as “the academic career of the appellants would be marred and completely ruined for want of leniency”. Taking up the matter, the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Shekher Dhawan asserted: “The leniency, if any, in the matter of shortage of lectures can be shown by the university authorities alone as the responsibility to maintain discipline and standards of education lies on them. It is not expedient for this Court to issue such a direction”. Disposing of the matter, the Bench also declined to interfere with the order already passed by the Single Judge. At the same time, the Bench gave the appellants the liberty to submit a fresh application to the university Vice-Chancellor or any other university authority nominated by him, “who may sympathetically and dispassionately consider the appellants request for condoning the shortage
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US court to hear `84 riots case on Dec 2
New York, November 5
The SFJ is seeking judgment to declare November 1984 violence against the Sikh Community as "genocide". — PTI
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Chandigarh, November 5
Moga, November 5
Jalandhar, November 5
A large number of commission agents today sat in dharna in front of the Pungrain office here. Demanding payment, they raised slogans against the procurement agencies and threatened to block traffic. 
Gurdaspur
, November 5
Bathinda, November 5
