Thursday, October 21, 1999
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Thursday, October 21, 1999 |
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Bus fares may be
increased CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The highest ever 35 per cent hike in the price of diesel slapped by the Centre is likely to unsettle the operations of the Punjab Roadways, the Haryana Roadways and the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking. 5 health officials
granted bail Sutlej plan in doldrums 15 hours in emergency without
treatment Special cell to vacate encroached
land VC to approve college holidays Mann welcomes Pope’s visit RTP starts generation with
imported coal PUDA relief plan for defaulters Paddy accumulates in mandi 2 held for snatching cop’s
carbine Pingalwara
gets ST exemption on items Woman’s murder: police
arrests husband |
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Bus
fares may be increased CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The highest ever 35 per cent hike in the price of diesel slapped by the Centre is likely to unsettle the operations of the Punjab Roadways, the Haryana Roadways and the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking. With a fleet of 3750 buses, the expected loss of the Haryana Roadways for the current financial year was to be Rs 110 crore. With the 35 per cent escalation in the price of diesel, its losses are likely to go up to Rs 150 crore. The data tabulated by the Haryana Transport Department reveals that the daily loss to the Haryana Roadways due to hike in the price of diesel will be Rs 35 crore annually. Seeking anonymity, senior functionaries of the department reveal that the major cause for the whopping losses of the Haryana Roadways is the operation of private buses in the state. Private buses are operated by high and mighty politicians. They were given permits for plying their buses from one definite place to another with no permission to carry passengers en route. But what these operators are allegedly doing is that they carry passengers from stage to stage, causing loss to the state-owned roadways. "If we challan these buses, we are accused of demanding money," quipped a senior officer. "If we do not challan them, we are charged with conniving with them. So we are caught between the devil and the deep sea." he remarked. Out of 18 lakh passengers who travel in the state-owned buses, private operators account for 7 lakh. The operation cost of Haryana Roadways buses remains what it is, the carriage of passengers by private operators causes the state government considerable loss. The 20 per cent hike in the bus fares announced by the Himachal Pradesh has helped little to the Haryana Roadways for two reasons. First, the number of buses of the Haryana Roadways that operate in Himachal Pradesh is negligible. Secondly, the Haryana Roadways conductors can charge increased bus fare only for the mileage they cover in that state. Similarly, there has been only marginal gain on the operation of Haryana Roadways in Delhi. The Transport Department has undertaken an exhaustive exercise to suggest to the state government to hike bus fares at least by 30 per cent to set off the losses due to the increase in the price of diesel. Buckling under financial crisis, the position of Punjab Roadways is no better. Diesel is costlier in Punjab than in Haryana because of increase in the sales tax from 4 per cent to 8 per cent. The price of diesel (inclusive of sales tax) has gone up from Rs 9.86 per litre to Rs 13.90 per litre or say costlier by Rs 4.04 litre. With a total fleet of 2369 buses, the Punjab Roadways covers 20 crore kilometre per annum. The total diesel consumption of these buses is 50 crore litre. Thus the increase of Rs 4.04per litre in the price of diesel will cause a loss of Rs 20.20 crore to the roadways. The total loss of Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation during the previous financial year was Rs 82.63 crore. The share of the Punjab Roadways was Rs 55.47 crore. These losses are caused due to populist concessions in bus fare given by the state government to police personnel, freedom fighters, senior citizens, secretariat employees, students and handicapped persons. Although the state government had taken a policy decision that various departments whose employees were extended concession in fares would reimburse to the Punjab Roadways, the amount of reimbursement was negligible. Private operators in Punjab are running a parallel transport. If the Punjab Roadways buses cover 5.86 lakh km per day, the private operators cover 3.90 lakh. There are allegations that 1.60 lakh km are covered by private operators "illegally". This illegal operation causes considerable loss to the state-owned roadways. Matters are made worse with the issuance of taxi permits to Sumo jeeps. Apart from being convenient in travelling, operators of Sumo jeeps charge the same fare from passengers which is charged by Punjab Roadways or Pepsu Road Transport Corporation. No wonder most of the passengers opt for Sumo jeeps. Another major reason for losses to the Punjab Roadways is the failure of the state government to replace old buses. About 40 per cent of the total buses have outlived their life. The wear and tear of each bus comes to Rs 40,000 per month. If these buses are replaced, each new bus gives a profit of Rs 20,000 per month. The Punjab Roadways is forced to operate on uneconomical routes in the state due to political compulsions. The operation of government buses on these routes add to the losses of the Punjab Roadways. Contrary to what the Punjab Transport Minister has been saying, the State Transport Department has sent a proposal to the government to hike the bus fare from 36 paise per passenger per km to 40 paise per passenger per km without any increase in the special road tax. The losses of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking will jump from Rs 6 crore per annum to Rs 10 crore per annum due to hike in the price of diesel. It has a fleet of 417 buses. Of these 300 buses are plied on local and suburban routes. The operation cost on long-route buses in higher than those run locally. To set off the losses to
be caused by the increase in the price of diesel, the CTU
has sent a proposal to the Chandigarh Administration for
hiking the bus fares from the existing Re 1 for the first
2 km and Rs 3 up to 4 km to Rs 2 and Rs 4 respectively.
However, there is no proposal for increasing the bus fare
of Rs 3 for distance up to 3 km. |
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5
health officials granted bail LUDHIANA, Oct 20 — Five officials of the Health Department, who were arrested by the Crime Brach on October 15 in connection with the Rs 1.5 crore medicine scam, were granted bail in the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh, here today. Those granted bail, included Dr Harwinder Singh, District Immunisation Officer; Dr Dharam Pal, SMO, Khanna; Dr J.P. Singh, SMO, Samrala; Dr K.K. Jindal, SMO, Hathoor Sahib; and pharmacist Jagdev Singh. The five officials were granted bail for an amount of Rs 15,000 each and a surety bond of the same amount. The anticipatory bail applications of the other two accused — Budh Singh and Goralal — which were also put up in the same court today, were given October 25 as the next date of hearing. Earlier, various organisations of the Health Department had taken up the cause of these arrested officials. Members of these organisations had observed a strike on October 18 and had demanded the withdrawal of the alleged “false cases” against them and a judicial probe to bring the real culprits to book. They had also threatened to boycott the pulse polio campaign and to observe an indefinite strike in all government -run hospitals in the state in case their demands were not met. However, the Senior Vice-President of the PCMS Association, Dr J.S. Bhullar, called off the decision to boycott the pulse polio programme after the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, assured the association that the arrested officials would not be victimised. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister had also reportedly asked the DIG, Ludhiana range, Mr P.S. Sandhu, to submit an inquiry report to him regarding this case within 24 hours. Mr Sandhu was entrusted with the inquiry after a delegation of the PCMS Association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister alleging partisan role of the Crime Branch in the case. Interestingly, DSP
Amarjit Singh of the Crime Branch, who was investigating
the case and was later removed from the case at the
behest of the Ministerial Staff Association of the Health
Department, was also present in the court today. However,
when contacted, the DSP said he was in the court to meet
his lawyer. |
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Sutlej
plan in doldrums CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — Yet another plan to clean up a major river of Punjab has floundered. Both fiscal crisis and apathy, have hit the Sutlej Action Plan, had part of the major rivers clean up plan in the country. Funded up to 90 per cent by the Centre, the river was to be cleaned by year 2000. But it has been left midway, official sources here said. The clean-up plan was prepared by the Union Environment Ministry along with the Yamuna Action Plan and the Ganga Action Plan and the Centre agreed to provide Rs 218 crore in 1995 and the execution agency was the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Punjab was to share the cost of land acquisition estimated to be at just at Rs 5.5 crore. The Board has spent Rs 35 crore provided by the Union Government and dug some canals and laid some sewerage lines in these four years. But nothing more. What led to the crisis was the high price fixed by the collectors under pressure from the political executive. Rates varied from Rs five lakh to Rs 16 lakh per acre and even more. Then there was interest on this. "In many cases the cost thus came to Rs 30 to Rs 35 lakh per acre. The total now went up to Rs 80 crore for the land acquisition", ministerial sources here pointed out. There is no money to pay to the land owners. The end result since Punjab is unable to execute the plan on time. The Centre said, "It would not bear any cost escalation". Officials said there was no way to complete the project by the year 2000 and the Union Government said, "Sorry, no funds after that". Rs 180 crore which the Centre would have given in addition to Rs 38 crore it has already released has been denied. This is because Punjab does not have money to buy land which it had committed. In case of the Yamuna Action Plan, Haryana Government has taken the lead and spent Rs 186 crore by now. "There it might be delayed just by one year maximum. But we are late by five years, the original time schedule fixed for the action plan", one senior officer lamented. It is interesting here also, some funds available earlier have been diverted to pay for the salaries and pension. In total, for the local bodies works like slum clearance, drinking water supply and sewerage a total of Rs 45 crore is yet to be paid by the Finance Department. The contractors are after the neck of the local bodies officers and in some cases, the work has been left unfinished, an officer here said. The Sutlej Action Plan
was meant to clean up the river from Ropar downstream
Harike in Ferozepore district. Land was needed to instal
water treatment plants and other works. Also, all sewage
was to be released to the river after proper treatment.
The Sutlej is Punjab's major river and it carries lot of
silt, sewage and mud downstream, some of it even to
Pakistan. |
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15
hours in emergency without treatment AMRITSAR, Oct 20 — The ‘Emergency Ward’ of Guru Nanak Hospital here seems to be ill-equipped to deal with emergency cases. This inadequacy came to light when a patient had to be taken to a private hospital after a wait of 15 hours for treatment. A shopkeeper, Kulwant Singh, was waylaid and stabbed by some robbers on October 18 and remained unattended in spite of heavy bleeding from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the hospital. Ms Ratna, General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and Youth Congress leader Mr Ravi Mehta, in a joint complaint to the Chief Minister and Health Minister alleged that the victim was not given proper first aid as only a junior doctor was on night duty. They also alleged that stray dogs were seen roaming inside the hospital building. The patient, Kulwant Singh, had sustained injuries when three unidentified persons snatched Rs 1.25 lakh from him and decamped with his scooter after stabbing him the police immediately swung into action and took the victim to the hospital. While the police has recovered the scooter, the assailants are still at large. The Congress leaders, also alleged in their complaint that a ‘‘tout’’ approached the attendants of the victim and demanded money for helping them in framing a medico-legal case. Later, the patient was taken to a private hospital, where doctors found that his food pipe had ruptured due to the stabbing. Ms Ratna sought a probe
into the functioning of the hospital. |
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Special
cell to vacate encroached land GURDASPUR, Oct 20 — Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, said here yesterday that the ministry had created a special cell with a Deputy Director as its head to secure the vacation of illegal occupation of land belonging to Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samitis and panchayats in the states. The cell would also ensure proper utilisation of land and property owned by the ministry. Mr Kahlon said Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis had prime land in various cities. The cell had been delegated powers to ensure maximum returns out of it. The department proposed to set up commercial establishments on such land. The buildings constructed would be given on lease to shopkeepers, banks and other offices, he said. Mr Kahlon said the income thus earned would be utilised for the development of rural areas. He said Chairmen of Zila Parishads, and secretaries of Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis henceforth had been deprived off the powers to lease the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti land. Mr Kahlon said the ministry had acquired 2 acres of land at Mohali near Chandigarh for the construction of Vikas Bhavan. Mr Kahlon said the cell would report its activities to state-level committee headed by the minister himself. The other members of the committee included Financial Commissioner, Development, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats, Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, and Deputy Commissioners and District Development and Panchayat Officers of the respective districts where encroached property, including land of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti, fell. Mr Kahlon said the
elections to Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samiti would be
held in December. |
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VC
to approve college holidays AMRITSAR, Oct 20 — In a significant decision, the College Development Council, which met here today, directed all 90 principals of colleges affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University not to observe holiday in their institutions as per announcements by the state government or district administration from time to time, unless endorsed by the Vice-Chancellor. The College Development Council (CDC) meeting, presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Harbhajan Singh Soch, observed that as per the directions of the University Grants Commission, the colleges must have 180 working days in a year. Dr S. P. Singh, Dean, Colleges, was convener of the meeting. The meeting observed that the colleges had been violating norms of the UGC on this count. Owing to a number of holidays announced by the Chief Minister, Ministers and deputy commissioners, the colleges remained open for about 140 days during an academic year. With this decision, the CDC will ensure that preparatory holidays in colleges stand reduced from four weeks to two weeks apart from reducing summer, winter and autumn vacations. The CDC announced that a sub-committee would be constituted by the Vice-Chancellor to implement the decision. Dr S.P. Singh, talking to The Tribune, said the decision to impose a cut on holidays in affiliated colleges had been taken as per the UGC directives. The UGC had issued instructions on 180 working days in colleges on the directions of the Supreme Court. Though divergent views were expressed by principals of various colleges, the CDC made it clear that the UGC guidelines were mandatory. Meanwhile, Guru Nanak Dev University has decided to connect the office of the Dean, College Development Council, to its affiliated colleges via Internet e-mail. The university has also decided to set up a placement-cum-guidance unit in its colleges for providing information regarding different courses and to help students get employment in various private and public sectors. Dr Inder Pal Singh, PVC, Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar, Principal M.S. Dhillon, Principal Ashwani Kumar, Principal Subash Kumar, Mr H.S. Deol, DPI, Punjab, Prof V.K. Sharma, Dr H.S. Sidhu, Principal Jagdish Singh and Dr Maninder Singh Hudal, took part in the discussions held on the issue. The meeting accorded
approval to 12 new courses in the disciplines of
information technology, computer science and fashion
designing and management. It was also decided to give
representation to vocational teachers on the Board of
Studies. The number of seats in vocational courses has
already been increased from 30 to 40. |
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Mann
welcomes Pope’s visit FATEHGARH SAHIB, Oct 20 — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) SAD(A), has welcomed the visit of Pope John Paul II to India. He criticised Hindu organisations which were opposing the visit. Talking to The Tribune at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib after paying obeisance, Mr Mann said the Pope was a great freedom fighter and revolutionary and had fought the Russian repression against Poland. He said he was eager to meet the great man. He said India was a secular country and anyone could visit it. He alleged that the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Shiv Sena and other Hindu organisations were opposing the Pope’s visit and the Central Government was silent on the issue. He said “attacks on Christians” had increased in the state since Mr Badal assumed office. On the invitation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, he said his party would send jathas to Pakistan. He said Pakistan was the only Muslim country in the world which had recognised the rights of the minorities. We should start a dialogue with Pakistan, he said, adding that Bibi Jagir Kaur and Mr Parkash Singh Badal had little international experience. He said his party had decided to open the doors to Hindus. He said he had realised that Hindus of the state were Punjabis and they wanted peace, security and better trade facilities, which his party would provide. He said the All-India Motor Transport Association would go on strike from tomorrow and his party would extend full support to it. He said he would raise the issue of diesel price hike in Parliament. He said his party would organise dharnas at all district headquarters from November 15 in this regard. He said people had
rejected Mr Badal and he had no moral right to rule the
state. |
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RTP
starts generation with imported coal ROPAR, Oct 20 — The Ropar Thermal Plant (RTP) for the first time today started power generation with imported coal by mixing it with Indian coal. Two rakes of coal imported from Australia have so far arrived at the plant here. The first rake (about 55 wagons) of the imported coal arrived on October 16. The main reason for importing coal from Australia is that coal India Limited has reportedly been supplying poor quality coal to the plant which results in about 30 per cent trippings because of flame failures in the boilers. A tripping of one hour means loss of more than Rs 4 lakh besides extra expenditure on furnace oil to resynchronise the unit. About 25 rakes of imported coal will arrive every month at the plant. The imported coal will be mixed with the Indian coal at a ratio of 80 per cent (Indian) and 20 per cent (Australian) to meet with the designed fuel requirements of the boiler. Mr Padamjit Singh, OSD (Coal Management) of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to import coal from Australia had been signed between the PSEB and the Minerals and Materials Trading Corporation (MMTC), Government of India, in May this year. The MMTC further made arrangements for importing coal and took responsibility till the unloading of coal at the plant. The OSD further said this was a three-year contract, under which the coal would be supplied to the PSEB at a rate of Rs 3175 per tonne as against Rs 2100 per tonne for Indian coal. According to sources in
the PSEB, though the rate of imported coal is higher as
compared to the Indian coal but in fact it will prove
more economical as far as generating per unit of power is
concerned because the imported coal contains less ash
contents i.e. about 33 per cent only as compared to the
Indian coal. Besides the crushing cost of imported coal
will be quite less because of its smaller size. It is
almost stone-free coal. Thus the running and maintenance
cost of coal mills (meant for crushing coal) will also be
less. |
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PUDA
relief plan for defaulters CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Finance and Accounts Committee of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) today announced a relief scheme for those allottees of plots and houses whose property has been resumed for default in payment of instalments. The new scheme envisages that such properties will be restored to them, if the allottees pay the full price along with interest and penalty. The PUDA meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. It was decided to give additional time to serving soldiers and defence services officers for undertaking construction on the plots allotted to them taking into account their period of posting at non-family stations. The committee approved allotment of approximately 6 acres at Mohali to the Army Welfare Education Society for setting up an Army institute of law. The committee has extended the period of payment in respect of MIG and HIG houses at Dugri Road and Samrala Road, Ludhiana from three to 13 years. The terms of payment of land price to schools have been made more attractive. The schools have been given a moratorium of two years for payment of instalments, after making down payment. Further instalments have also been made free of interest. The Chief Minister
directed PUDA not to allow encroachments by unscrupulous
elements on government land. He also asked for effective
steps for removal of encroachments from government
property. |
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Paddy
accumulates in mandi SUNAM, Oct 20 —Resentment prevails among paddy growers in the Sunam area as their produce has been termed to be of poor quality by officials of various procurement agencies like the FCI, PUNSUP, Markfed, Punjab Agro, Food Supplies and Punjab Ware House. The agencies are not ready to buy the damaged and discoloured paddy lying in the mandis. When our correspondent visited the Mehlan Chowk purchase centre, about 6 km from here, today he found over 3000 tonnes of paddy lying in the open. The farmers had reportedly been waiting for the last 10 days to sell their produce. Beant Singh, a farmer and President of the Kissan Union (Mehlan Circle), said the officials of the procurement agencies at the mandi were being extra strict with them as the paddy rejected at this mandi was being accepted in the adjoining mandis of Nagra and Nagri. He said the growers had taken all effective steps to save their crop from diseases. But in spite of that their crops had been infected by disease like ‘tela and jhulsro’ resulting in discoloration of paddy. Certain farmers alleged that the autocratic attitude of the FCI had also resulted in a delay in the procurement of paddy. They said the state procuring agencies should also be authorised to procure paddy from here to avoid un-necessary harassment to the farmers. Some farmers also expressed inability shift their paddy from Mehlan Chowk Mandi to other adjoining mandis as they were not in a position to clear the dues of their commission agents. Gurcharan Singh, President of the Arhtiya Association, Mehlan Chowk, said a deputation of Arhtiyas had met Mr Anrudh Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, few days back. But the Deputy Commissioner had expressed his inability to help the farmers and arhtiyas as the procuring agencies were not authorised to procure substandard paddy. The commission agents are also hesitate to sell paddy to rice millers as they offer lower price than the minimum support price coupled with delay in payments. Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta, an FCI quality inspector, said last year 1.5 lakh bags of paddy had been procured by this time. This year only 1 lakh bags of paddy had been procured. He said they had been issued strict instructions to purchase paddy having upto 3 per cent damage and to ignore the rest of the stock. The Market Committee Officials, deputed here for the collection of Market Fee, are also depressed as some farmers are picking up their crop from here to sell it at another mandi. Farmers upset over all
this threaten to dump their paddy in Mehlan Chowk Mandi
if the procuring agencies failed to find a suitable
solution to the problem.. |
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998
teams formed to give polio drops HOSHIARPUR, Oct 20 — Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, said here today that there were 2,01,580 children below the age of five in the district to whom polio drops would be administered during the pulse polio campaign on October 24, November 21, December 19 and January 23, 2000. He was addressing a seminar at the local Civil Hospital, organised by the District Health Department. Sarpanches, panches and representatives of social organisations participated. The Deputy Commissioner said as many as 998 teams consisting of health workers, teachers, and aanganwari workers had been constituted to complete the task. As many as 853 teams would cover rural and 123 urban areas of the district. Besides, 22 mobile teams would cover bus stands, railway stations and brick kilns. He said members of these teams would go door to door on October 25 and 26 to cover children who remain unattended to on October 24 for various reasons. Dr Kiranjit Kumar, Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur, said the department had already organised such seminars in rural and urban areas of the district and involved sarpanches, panches and social organisations in the task. Mr Kamal Chaudhry,
former MP, Dr S.S. Sharma, Deputy Medical Commissioner,
Mr Avtar Singh, District Education Officer, and Dr S.N.
Tiwari, Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, also
addressed the seminar. |
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2
held for snatching cop’s carbine LUDHIANA, Oct 20 — The Ludhiana police has roundedup two persons who allegedly took away a carbine from a police constable on the Tajpur road here on October 11. The carbine has been recovered. The two accused — Darshan Singh of Bajra village under Basti Jodhewal police station and Jaswinder Singh of Nandpur village under Sahnewal police station — have been arrested under Sections 397/34/, IPC. Baljinder Singh, another accused, who was arrested on the day of snatching itself, is an accomplice of Devinder Singh, who was Area Commander of the Bhindrawale Tigers Force of Khalistan, SSP Gurpreet Singh Deo said here today. The SSP said Baljinder Singh, who after trying to blast Mathura-Jalandhar gas pipeline near Garhi bridge near Samrala in 1992, had surrendered to the police the same year and spent about four years in high security Nabha jail till June, 1996. She said Baljinder Singh formed a new gang after his release by enticing unemployed youth and took to crimes. Mrs Deo said that two more members of the gang, Gurpreet Singh alias Nikka and Darshan Singh Darshi were, however, still at large. With the busting of the gang, the police had solved 13 criminal cases, most of robberies, but one of the murder of driver Ram Sharan who was strangulated and his body thrown into a canal. While the police has
recovered the car, the body had yet to be found, she
added. |
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CM
for action against erring employees CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has taken serious view of the casual approach and indisciplinary attitude of certain government employees who remain absent from duty for long without intimating competent authority. He has directed the secretaries and heads of the department to take strict administrative action against the erring officers/officials found guilty of violation of government norms and conduct rules. In compliance with such
directions, the Punjab Government has dismissed Mrs
Kuljinder Kaur, Lecturer, Chemistry in Government
Mohindra College, Patiala, according to an official
spokesman. As per a press note she remained absent from
duties without prior intimation and she did not respond
to the charge-sheet served upon her in this regard. |
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Pingalwara
gets ST exemption on items CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Punjab Cabinet today accepted the request of Pingalwara Society for exemption from the payment of sales tax on items purchased by the institution for daily requirements as well those for its further expansion. The Chief Secretary, Mr R. S. Mann, said these items included edible items to be used for 'langar', medicines, material for construction of building and other items of daily use. The Council of Ministers appreciated that the All India Pingalwara Society (Registered), Amritsar, was serving disabled, handicapped, mentally retarded persons, etc on public charity. The council accepted the liability of Rs 10 lakh per earning to the said exemption. The council has also approved the removal of the ceiling on levy of the licence fee, fixed at Rs 500, and allowed the Department of Local Self-Government to prescribe appropriate licence fee on the premises used for workshops, hotels, marriage palaces, restaurants, dhabas, cinema halls, nursing homes, petrol pumps, gas agencies etc. The Council of Ministers has repealed the Punjab Cold Storage Orders, 1979. It was felt that during the recent years, great emphasis has been laid on increasing the production of subsidiary foods like fruit and vegetables and the need to safely preserve them being highly perishable. Therefore, the expansion of Cold Storage network was necessary. The cold storage industry played a very vital role in the Punjab's agricultural economy. The council felt this (repeat of the Act) would be a step forward in the field of liberalisation and reform. The council also
approved the Service Rules for Punjab Architects (Class
II). |
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Girl
commits suicide KAPURTHALA, Oct 20 — Jasleen Kaur (19), an unmarried girl of the local model town locality committed suicide by hanging herself to a ceiling fan in a room of her house last night. According to police reports, she committed suicide in the room when her parents and other members of the family were watching the celebrations of Dasehra festival being celebrated in the ground opposite to her house on roof top. Frustration is said to be the cause behind the extreme step. In another incident,
Subodh Mandal, an immigrant Bihari labourer was run over
by tractor-trailer while returning to his house after
watching Dasehra festival in Bholath village. |
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CM's
meeting hours CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has set apart meeting time for the general public between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at his residence on every working day when he is in town. Similarly, separate hours have been fixed for senior political functionaries between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. at his house on all working days. The meeting hours for Ministers and MLAs have been fixed between noon and 1.30 p.m. in his office at the Punjab Civil Secretariat. The Chief Minister will
meet the visitors at his residence at any other time only
after confirmed appointment. |
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Woman’s
murder: police arrests husband SANGRUR, Oct 20 — The Sangrur police has arrested Chaitu, who had been absconding after allegedly murdering his wife, from his native village Islampur in West Bengal, according to district police chief Arpit Shukla. Mr Shukla told mediapersons that Chaitu, who was living in Malerkotla with his family, allegedly murdered his wife, Khatija, on August 24 and fled to West Bengal. Following some clues after investigations, the police secured arrest warrants after investigations and a police party was sent to West Bengal to apprehend him. In another case, the
Malerkotla police arrested Rimpy, resident of a village
in Sikar district in Rajasthan. Rimpy had fled to
Rajasthan after stealing a motorcycle of Mr Tajinder
Verma from Malerkotla. |
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Police
station gheraoed PHILLAUR, Oct 20 — Tension prevailed in Noormahal town of Phillaur subdivision last evening when an irrate mob gheraoed the Noormahal police station and hurled stones at police employees. The mob held a noisy demonstration in protest against the “indifferent” attitude of the police during the Dusehra mela. The Phillaur DSP Mr
Upinderjit Singh Ghuman, pacified the demonstrators. |
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JALANDHAR, Oct 20 (PTI) — Two persons, including a gunman of former MP Umrao Singh, were killed in a road accident at Tilak Nagar, near Wadala Chowk, here, the police said today. Jagjit of 88 Batallion, who was employed as gunman of Mr Umrao Singh, was coming on a scooter towards the city when he collided head-on with another scooter near Wadal Chowk late last evening. Jagjit and Dalbir Singh (27), a resident of Talwandi Bharo village, under the Nakodar police station, died on the spot, apparently due to head injuries sustained in the collision. Two pillion riders of the other scooter, Manjit Singh and Surjit Singh were also injured in the accident. Surjit who was rushed to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana, was stated to be in a serious condition. Manjit was admitted to
the local Civil Hospital. |
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