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| Sunday,
March 31, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Badal writes to CEC Malout, March 30 Pointing out that so far no observer had visited this constituency to supervise the campaigning, he also demanded deployment of paramilitary forces in the area considered sensitive. He also demanded that Mr Mohammad Mustafa, DIG, Ferozepore Range, should be transferred immediately and the Director-General of Punjab Police (DGP) restrained from issuing verbal directions to police officers for helping Congress-CPI candidate. He alleged that Mr Mustafa whose wife Mrs Razia Sultan was an MLA from Malerkotla and Mr M.S. Bhullar, DGP, whose son contested but lost from Zira Assembly segment as Congress candidate, had been putting pressure on the police officials and voters to help the ruling party. The station house officers (SHOs) of various police stations were being sent on leave forcibly and new SHOs of their choice were being posted in their place in violation of the model code of conduct to create fear in the minds of voters. He alleged that it was unfortunate that entire police administration was working for the victory of the CPI-Congress candidate at the instance of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He even alleged excesses on people by the police. He further alleged that a senior civil official, whose native village fell in this Assembly segment, had also been campaigning for Congress-CPI candidate in the hope of getting a plum posting. Apart from it, various heads of state government departments had also been touring the area in official vehicles to help the Congress-CPI candidate. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, when contacted, said that Mr Badal, who used to indulge in all sorts of violation, had no option except to make false allegations against the Punjab Government as he (Mr Badal) had come to know that his party candidate, Mrs Mukhtiar Kaur, would lose. He added that Congress leadership had been doing its best along with CPI leadership to free people from the clutches of Mr Badal and his associates. He pointed out that Mrs Razia Sultan was an elected MLA of the Congress party and she had got every right to campaign for Congress-CPI alliance candidate, Mr Nathu Ram. He added that Mr Mustafa was DIG, Ferozepore Range and supposed to look after security arrangements in this area during electioneering. |
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Paramilitary forces in Malout sought Chandigarh, March 30 It has been alleged in complaints that senior police officers are working for the ruling Congress party to ensure the win of the CPI candidate it supported. Even the President of the Shiromani Akali Dal( SAD), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has sought the transfer of certain senior police officers for their alleged pro- Congress role in the Malout Assembly elections. He has complained that the police authorities have sent a number of SHOs on leave and new ones have been posted in their place to help the Congress in the elections. When contacted in this connection, Mrs Usha Sharma, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, said Mr G.S. Cheema, Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, had visited the constituency. He had also met the Deputy Commissioner and other officers concerned. Two new SHOs, in place of those who were on leave, had been appointed with the approval of Mr Cheema, she said. The other complaints received from the SAD have been referred to the Director General of Police, Punjab, for comments, it is learnt. As far as the deployment of the paramilitary forces is concerned, the CEO has ordered their deployment for the protection of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Sources said no paramilitary forces for deployment in the Malout constituency were available. However, the Inspector-General of Police concerned has been told to explore the possibility of making paramilitary forces available wherever necessary. |
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Haryana members meet Jathedar Vedanti Amritsar, March 30 “We don’t want to be ruled by the Punjab’s SGPC which indulges in discrimination against the Sikh sangat of Haryana”, they told Jathedar Vedanti. They said they would field independent candidates during the forthcoming general election of the SGPC, the results of which would be a referendum on the issue. They alleged the SGPC took about Rs 11 crore every year to Punjab collected as offerings from 51 historic gurdwaras. However, a meagre amount was spent on the overall development of these gurdwaras. This was great injustice to the Sikh sangat of Haryana”, they argued. Those who met Jathedar Vedanti and Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, President, SGPC, were Mr Tara Singh Bachki, an SGPC member from Kurukshetra, Mr Balwinder Singh Bajwa, Vice-President, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana, and member of the proposed HGPC (Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee), Mr Partap Singh Randhawa, convenor, HGPC, Mr Didar Singh Kamboj, co-convener, Mr Surjit Singh Bajwa, a member of the HGPC, Mr P.P. Singh, an advocate, Mr Bhupinder Singh, Mr Jarnail Singh Ajrana, Mr Didar Singh and Mr H.S. Dochar. The deputation pleaded with Jathedar Vedanti that the SGPC had no right to manage Sikh shrines in Haryana. They claimed the SGPC was formed as per the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, while Haryana was formed in 1966. Members of the deputation alleged that there was rampant corruption in Sikh shrines being managed by the SGPC with only a negligible residents from Haryana getting jobs in the SGPC. On the other hand, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), describing the demand for a separate committee for Haryana as ‘illegal’ said the SGPC must redress the “genuine” grievances of the Sikh ‘sangat’ of the state. Earlier, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC chief had alleged that the demand for a separate committee for Haryana gurdwaras was part of a “deep-rooted conspiracy”. The deputation claimed that out of 11 SGPC members elected from Haryana, as many as four including Mr Bharpur Singh (Tohana), Bibi Daljit Kaur (Sirsa) Mr Bhupinder Singh (Kaithal) and Mr Tara Singh, were with them. Interestingly, Mr Tara Singh, an SGPC member from Kurukshetra, who wanted to highlight the grievances of the Haryana Sikh ‘sangat’, was not allowed to speak during the budget session held at Teja Singh Samundari Hall. |
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After 10 yrs, non-govt college staff hopeful Chandigarh, March 30 It was during the Beant Singh government that the then Finance Minister, Dr Kewal Krishan (now Speaker), had first announced a pension-cum-gratuity scheme for these employees (teachers and non-teaching staff) in the Vidhan Sabha on April 3, 1992. The scheme of 95 per cent grant-in-aid to private colleges was first introduced by the Parkash Singh Badal government in 1977-78. Nothing tangible happened during the Akali-BJP regime, except the passage of the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service of Employees), Amendment Act, 1999, on March 30. This Act was published in the government gazette on April 26, 1999. All through the past five years, the Punjab and Chandigarh Teachers’ Union had to resort to agitations, rallies and courting arrests. After a long gap, the Cabinet again passed the scheme on December 12, 2001, making it effective from April 26, 1999. The White Paper on the state’s finances says, a decision was taken in December 2001 to allow pension benefits to the employees of the non-government aided colleges at a par with the government employees, effective from April 1999. The scheme is yet to be notified. The paper expects that the amounts of the Contributory Provident Fund of the employees will suffice to meet the financial outlays involved in the scheme until 2005-06. Thereafter, large devolutions will have to be made by the government increasing from Rs 7.75 crore (2005-06) to Rs 31.15 crore (2007-08). It also lists grant-in-aid to colleges/universities and other institutions as one of the “leading indicators” of the financial crisis. The out go on this has increased from Rs 108.16 crore (1991-92) to Rs 240.74 crore (2000-01). It was Rs 141.28 crore (1996-97). After the scheme was first announced in April 1992, it was passed by the Harcharan Singh Brar Cabinet on January 3, 1996. During the Rajinder Kaur Bhattal government, a 32-page notification was issued on December 18, 1996, and circulated to all colleges seeking options from the employees and managements. The same were given immediately. Then came the elections. Now, with the Congress back in power, the Joint Action Committee (comprising teachers, non-teaching staff, Principals and managements) has deferred the agitations allowing the government time to settle down. Meanwhile, the JAC spokesperson, Prof. Charanjit Chawla, says all 172-odd colleges are facing financial crisis due to the non-release of grant-in-aid, including arrears released by the University Grants Commission. The government owes the following sums to colleges — Rs 9.78 crore (1997-98), Rs 10 crore (1998-99), Rs 12.56 crore (1999-2000), Rs 22 crore (2000-01) and Rs 41 crore (2001-02). For the current financial year, the amount to be released is Rs 95 crore and the Budget provision is Rs 72 crore. An amount of Rs 21 crore released by the University Grants Commission, as arrears of revision of teachers’ pay scales (January 1996 to December 31, 1998), has not been passed on to the colleges. |
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Water supply scheme runs into trouble Nawanshahr, March 30 The total cost of the project is about Rs 7.74 crore out of which Rs 5.56 crore and Rs 2.18 crore are to be spent on providing sewerage and water supply facilities, respectively. The HUDCO will provide 80 per cent of the total cost as loan and the remaining 20 per cent will be shared by the local municipal committee. The project was conceived during the Assembly byelection held in February 2000 when the residents of outer colonies approached the then Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to provide basic amenities like water supply and sewerage to the outer colonies. After going through a tedious procedure, the local municipal council got the loan sanctioned from HUDCO and the local Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) received the first instalment of about Rs 70 lakh from HUDCO a few months ago. The board received Rs 47.46 lakh and Rs 22.22 lakh for carrying out sewerage and water supply projects in the town. With this, sewerage and water supply lines have been laid in Ward No. 4 and 7 besides making the water works, set up Mohalla Heeran Jattan, operational to augment the water supply in the interior mohallas of the town. But due to poor financial position of the local municipal council, the PWSSB finding it difficult to get the another instalment of the loan from HUDCO as the municipal council has failed to contribute its 20 per cent share in the first instalment. Moreover, the PWSSB authorities are finding it difficult to provide sewerage facility to the colonies developed on Rahon Road as the PWD (B&R) is demanding a sum of Rs 20.58 lakh as road-cutting charges. The PWSSB authorities have taken up the matter with the PWD (B&R) authorities to urge them to charge a minimum and a reasonable amount. Mr Chamkaur Singh Kauri and Dr Shiv Kumar Tejpal, President and Senior Vice-President, respectively, of the municipal council, while talking to The Tribune said that after the formation of the Congress Government in the state, the council had not received its share of excise and sales tax and any other grant. Instead, the council was forced to return the unspent amount of grant received. Mr Parkash Singh, local MLA, when contacted on phone accused the President of the MC, Mr Kauri, of mismanaging the funds of the council. He said the Congress had just taken over the reins of the government and it was absurd to blame it for the financial crisis of the local municipal council. It was the previous SAD-BJP government which had not sent the due share of the excise and sales tax to the council. He said that he had been taking keen interest in the project and had asked the Executive Officer of the council to apprise him of the factual position. He said that he would also take up the matter at the government level to press the PWD (B&R) authorities to charge reasonable road cutting charges from the PWSSB to enable it to lay the sewerage pipes to provide sewerage facility to the outer colonies situated at Rahon Road, he added. |
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5 killed as Tata Sumo hits truck Patiala, March 30 According to sources four of the victims died on the spot, one person succumbed to his injuries in the Government Rajindra Hospital here. The injured include seven adults and three children. All of them belonged to one family and were going to Batala to attend a family function and booked the taxi from
Gwalior. The deceased have been identified as Sarabjit Kaur, wife of Swaran Singh, Harjit Singh son of Gurmit Singh, Avtar Singh son of Ajit Singh, Surinder Singh son of Kashmir Singh and the taxi driver. Six of the nine injured have been identified as Daljit Kaur (55), Surinder Singh (25), Mukhtiar Singh (19), Gurpartap Singh (30) and Tarsem Singh ( 3). The Tata Sumo (MP 07 HA- 0977) was coming from Gwalior and had 11 persons and three children on board. The incident occurred at 11.30 p.m. with the driver unable to see a truck parked near a filling station at Basantpura village. |
Residents resent water shortage Bathinda, March 30 Pure water is a precious commodity for the ever-increasing population of this town and with the onset of summers, it would become a rarity. The residents keep a night-long vigil on the taps installed in their houses so as to fill their buckets before the pressure becomes low. Mr Inderjit Singh Virdi, a resident of Power House Road locality, said for the past 15 years, the residents of this area had been waiting to get water supply through pipes. Mr Gian Chand, an educationist, pointed out the irregular water supply in their locality, known as the Minocha colony. The areas, which have been facing acute shortage of water, include Pujan Wala mohalla, Trans-Railway colonies, Heeran Wala Chowk, Mauliwian Wala mohalla, Ganesha Basti, Dhibber Colony, Hazura-Kapura colony, Mehna chowk, Arya Samaj chowk and Ajit Road. Apart from this, the residents of some other areas have also not been getting sufficient supply of water. Unauthorised construction, rampant encroachments, dumps of garbage, inadequate water supply, poor sewerage system, bad condition of roads, frequent traffic jams, coal-ash rain from the chimneys of local Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) have become salient features of this town, which boasts of having one of the biggest cantonments in Asia, a fertiliser plant, a thermal plant, oil dumps, and one of the biggest railway junctions. Mr Sat Pal Garg, a resident, pointed out that in the absence of adequate water supply, they are compelled to purchase bottles of so-called mineral water. Hence, they are doubly cursed, as one hand they pay monthly water charges to the government department without getting a single drop of water and on the other hand they had to quench their thirst by arranging bottled water from private suppliers. Information gathered by TNS revealed that so far the municipal council authorities had been able to cover only about 40 per cent population of the city with piped water supply. Due to inadequate number of tubewell stations, the municipal council authorities had failed to maintain adequate pressure in the pipes so as to take the water upto the last point of supply. The boosters installed by the residents on the supply lines have further worsened the situation. A senior MC official admitted that the problem of water shortage was gripping the city. He said this was due to the canal, passing through the city, remaining closed for about 10 days. The water works would get its supply from here. However, the supply would become regular in the next 2-3 days, he added. |
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trains to meet holiday rush Ferozepore, March 30 The special trains to be run by Northern Railways from April 8 to June 30 are:
Delhi — Jammu Tawi Express (403/404 P) six days a weak; from April 8 to June 24; Amritsar —Darbhanga (486/485) once a week, from April 11 to June 27; Allahabad — New Delhi (437/438) three days a week, from April 13 to June 29; Allahabad — Jammu Tawi (471/472) two days a week, from April 9 to June 25; Bikaner — Bangalore (475/476 A) once a week, from April 11 to June 27; Delhi — Baroni (429/430) two days a week, from April 7 to June 24; Nizammuddin — Mumbai Central) (407/408) two days a week, from April 11 to June 28; Lucknow — New Delhi (457/458) three days a week, from April 9 to June 25; Jodhpur — Bangalore (475/476) once a week. |
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‘Chetna
march’ marks shrine centenary Sangrur March 30 The march was oganised to mark the centenary celebrations, of Gursagar, Mastauna Sahib, which was founded by Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji in 1901. The march was led by “Panj Piaras” (five beloved ones). The holy scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, was placed in a flower bedecked palanquin. More than 125 vehicles, including trucks, cars, jeeps, tractors-trailers and Jeeps buses, carrying a large number of devotees, an elephant, 10 horses and five camels accompanied the chetna march. |
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Fortnightly darbar at Phagwara Phagwara, March 30 Addressing the public and mediapersons during their first visit to the town, they promised that problems of ordinary citizens would be looked into as a routine matter and this would also be a gauge to test the efficacy of the administration. Mr Verma said the Rs 2.8 crore Rural Development Fund, Rs 89 lakh Infrastructure Development Fund and Rs 15 lakh from the CM’s and minister’s grants had remained unused in the district. Promising to rise above party politics, the local MLA, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, demanded a probe into the removal of the foundation stone of the local Civil Hospital, laid by the then Governor of Punjab, Mr Sidharth Shankar Ray, in 1986-87. |
8 held for car thefts,
5 cars recovered Sangrur, March 30 Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, Mr Surjit Singh Grewal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Sangrur, said the police had arrested eight members of this gang, namely Sidharath Bhalla, Baldeep Singh, both belonging to Ludhiana; Vijay Kumar, Ashok Kumar both from Chandigarh, Baldev Sharma, Surjit Gulati, both from Rampura Phul; Ram Singh, alias Sher Singh, from Shergarh (Bathinda), and Neeraj Thapar, so far, while Deepak Bhalla and his wife Veena Bhalla from Ludhiana, and Gurmail Singh from Rampura Phul were yet to be arrested, as they had fled from their respective houses. Mr Grewal further said the police had recovered five cars (two Zens, one Esteem, one Matiz, one Maruti) from the members of the gang. They had got these cars from the owners of the car agencies by introducing themselves as the owners of the finance companies and the customers by providing fake addresses. He said the members of the gang had confessed that they had so far “taken” 16 cars by cheating the car agencies owners, so far after paying meagre amounts ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 35,000 for each car. The DSP said the police came into action about a week ago when Mr Anil Kumar Garg, of a local car agency (Max auto), reported the matter to the police that he had been “cheated” by some persons who had taken two cars from him by providing “wrong” information about their whereabouts. Mr Garg had also been given a meagre amount for two of his cars, the DSP added. Mr Grewal said the police was investigating the matter to expose the other members of this gang and procure more information in the case. |
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5 held for car thefts Moga, March 30 Mr Varinder Kumar, district police chief, in a press note issued here today said the district police had busted the gang of car thieves who used to steal cars from Delhi and subsequently sell-off the same in Punjab after making false documents. He said a team led by the DSP, Mr Jagmohan Singh, had laid a naka at Lande ke Chowk when it saw two cars coming from Dosanjh village towards Amritsar road. When the police party stopped the car at the naka for verification, the suspected persons in one of the cars fled away while the police personnel overpowered the second person sitting in the other car. One of the arrested accused person; who was identified as Rashpal Singh, disclosed that he alongwith the other four would steal the cars from Delhi and sell the same in Punjab after making fake registration certificates. The other accused were identified as Balwinder Singh, Manjit Singh, Balwant Singh and Arvinder Singh. |
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Rs 2.76 lakh looted from Coop Bank Bathinda, March 30 Sources said that the youths cut the telephone line and took keys of the safe from the bank employees and took away the money from it. Sources said that although the banking hours today were up to 12 noon today being Saturday. Employees and other persons were present there when the dacoity took place. Sources added that the youths had covered their faces. They reportedly threatened the bank staff with dire consequences if they tried to chase them. |
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Sarpanch
booked under Arms Act Tarn Taran, March 30 Mr Narinder Kumar Bhargav, SSP, said here today that the accused, Sarabjit Singh, Heera Singh and Balwinder Singh, all residents of Lalughuman village were indulging in the trade of selling illicit liquor for the past so many years. The SSP said the police had recovered 7875 ml of illicit liquor from their possession. A .12 bore rifle, too, had been recovered. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act had been registered against the accused. |
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Abducted
girl rescued Khanna, March 30 According to Mr Davinder Singh
Garcha, SSP, Khanna, the mother of the girl, Indu Bala, had organised a religious programme at their house. Indu Bala alleged that on March 3 while she was away from her residence, her 17-yrs-old daughter was alone at home. The alleged accused, Joginder Singh, came to their residence and abducted her daughter. A case of abduction was registered at Machhiwara police station on March 3 against Joginder Singh. The girl was rescued by the police. The two abductors, Joginder Singh and his associate Gurmail Singh, alias Vicky have been arrested and a case of rape registered against them. |
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Smack seized from Head Constable Tarn Taran, March 30 Police sources told this correspondent here today that smack weighing 7.580 gm had been recovered from their possession. Gurlal Singh was arrested about two years back under the same charges. The case is pending in court. |
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Dist YAD chief arrested Faridkot, March 30 Stating this here today, the local police chief, Mr Harinder Singh, said during a special nakabandi and night dominance, a police party had yesterday arrested Chamkaur Singh while driving a car. On interrogation of the accused, it was found that the car was stolen, he said. The police had registered a case against Chamkaur Singh and arrested him, he said.
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