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| Tuesday,
July 15, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Badal holds akhand path Amritsar, July 14 The Sikh clergy, on June 5, had directed Mr Badal to offer a ‘deg’ of Rs 500 and hold akhand path any time as part of ‘mild tankhah’ (punishment for religious misconduct) in the wake of the allegations that Mr Badal had violated the edict issued by Akal Takht on December 31, 1998, directing the warring Akali leaders to maintain status quo till the celebrations of the birth of the “Khalsa Panth”. After the bhog of akhand path, an Akali conference will be held on July 16 which would be addressed by senior Akali leaders, including Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Mr Badal indicated that a reshuffle in the SGPC was likely to take place after the conference. However, the SAD chief is under pressure to make an important announcement to mark the “bhog ceremony” on July 16. Later, talking to the mediapersons, Mr Badal alleged that the Capt Amarinder Singh Government had resorted to political vendetta which would prove counterproductive for the Congress. Mr Badal said the Congress government had imposed undeclared emergency in the state where human rights were being violated. He said the Congress government which had failed on all fronts wanted to divert the attention of the public from the fee hike and ‘anarchy’ by making ‘baseless’ allegations against the political opponents. He alleged that the Chief Minister lacked experience which irked even his senior party leaders, including his wife Maharani Parneet Kaur. He, however, claimed that the political vendetta unleashed by the Congress government would make SAD stronger. |
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Dr Chohan supports CM’s anti-graft drive Jalandhar, July 14 Dr Chohan, also hailed the removal of the Forest Minister and Congress leader Harbans Lal. He, however, said much was needed to be done for the
elimination of corruption, which has “still prevailing in four-five departments”. But at the same time, he hoped that these departments would go through “purgation process one day.” Talking to The Tribune, Dr Chohan, said the anti-corruption drive launched by Captain Amarinder Singh was an “unprecedented and much needed” timely and bold step. “No other Congress man could have the guts to expose corruption in higher echelons of power. Politicians had started thinking that they were not accountable to anybody and they had amassed much of wealth though legal and illegal means. Whether this drive will work for long or not is a different matter, but this is a good start, particularly, as people, particularly, bureaucrats had started thinking that if they indulged in something wrong, they could be held responsible one day,” said Dr Chohan. Without mincing his words. Dr Chohan said,” Going beyond party level, political leanings and thought, we support what is being done by Captain Amarinder Singh to root out corruption from public life. No other person —whether he belonged to the Congress or the Akali Dal — might have started this at such a big level. I think this is for his background. All the more, I think, time had come when all Punjabis should come forward and support anybody attacking the corrupt system, which had made it impossible for a common man to live honestly with dignity”, said Dr Chohan. Referring to Mr Harbans Lal’s sacking, Dr Chohan said this had cleared the mist about the intentions of the Chief Minister. “This is for the first time that a minister was sacked for corruption. I have come to know from reliable sources that some more ‘corrupt elements’ from the Congress are likely to meet the same treatment in near future. I have been told that this would happen soon and the Congress high command had been informed of it in advance. Today I went to the Jalandhar district courts where five out of six advocates whom I talked to and discussed state of affairs in the state after raids on Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s houses, favoured Mr Amarinder’s views on corruption. People are really fed up with corruption now and are looking for a savlour,” observed Dr
Chohan. |
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Justice
Bains takes Badal
to task Chandigarh, July 14 Addressing a press conference, Justice Ajit Singh Bains and other leaders of various Sikh organisations said Mr Badal was trying to use the Panth to save himself from the anti-corruption campaign. The police investigation against Mr Badal and his family was neither an “attack on Sikhs nor on the Panth.” They said it was a known fact that corruption was widespread during the Badal regime. Recruitment in various government departments was made allegedly after charging money. There was a “slip” system promoted by certain top functionaries of the Shiromani Akali Dal, they alleged. Even if Mr Badal succeeded in proving in a court of law that he did not resort to graft, it would not bail out the SAD-BJP Government from the charge of corruption, Mr Badal should not try to give a communal colour to the campaign against corruption. About Congress rule in Punjab, these leaders said the Amarinder Government should take action against its “ corrupt” ministers also. They said Mr Badal had been stabbing the Panth in the back for the past several years. Mr Badal had destroyed the democratic character of Panthic institutions by imposing hand-picked men on these. |
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Probe charges against CM, pleads Dayal Chandigarh, July 14 In a statement issued here today Dr Joginder
Dayal, Secretary of the Punjab CPI, said the explanation given by Capt Amarinder Singh about the charges levelled against him to the Union Finance Minister did not satisfy anyone. The much-pronounced transparency in governance and respect for law of the land by Capt Amarinder Singh demanded that the Chief Minister should face the charges in the same manner as he expected others to do. Dr Dayal the Communist leader said the SAD and the Congress were not serious about ending corruption. The Left parties should fight about ending against communal parties as well as anti-people policies being implemented under the garb of economic reforms. |
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FOREST SCANDAL Chandigarh, July 14 Informed sources said the investigation was progressing fast as the Bureau had been asked to submit a comprehensive report in this connection to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, in 10 days’ time. Sources today said that the Bureau had recorded the statement of a former Haryana Congress Minister and Forest Contractor, Mr Lachhman Singh, as part of the inquiry. Mr Lachhman Singh was allegedly given extension to cut Khair and other trees in the forest by the Punjab minister. However, there was no felling of trees as no permit was issued by the state Forest Department for cutting the trees despite the grant of extension. When contacted, Mr Lachhman Singh today confirmed that he had recorded his statement. He said he had also handed over certain legal documents etc to the Vigilance Bureau. And more documents would be given in a day or two, he added. A few days ago, Mr Lachhman Singh had stated that all reports regarding the “so-called scandal” were baseless and false. He had questioned as no tree was felled after even extension given by the minister, how it could be called a scandal? He had also claimed that as no government money was involved in the matter, no loss was caused to the government at any stage. There was a private forest at Mirzapur and the government job was only to grant permit for the felling of tress as per rules, he added. He has told all this to the Bureau, it is learnt. Meanwhile, the Bureau has also questioned a number of forest officials as part of the inquiry. Offices were asked about the technicalities involved in the identification of trees, their felling, issuance of permit and extension etc, it is learnt. The sources said though Mr Harbans Lal was “indicted” in the inquiry conducted by a Financial Commissioner (Forests), he was not given opportunity at any stage during the inquiry to explain his position. However, he was removed on the basis of the inquiry by the Financial Commissioner. Likewise, the Divisional Commissioner, Mr
Dharmvir, who has been placed under suspension in this case, has not been given opportunity to explain his position. Mr Dharmvir served as Special Secretary and Secretary of the Forest Department about two years ago. |
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Panches’ swearing-in to cost lakhs Bathinda, July 14 Though it could not be confirmed from official sources that how much money the government is going to spend on these three functions, it has been gathered from reliable sources that it would bear expenditure to the tune of Rs 30 lakh. The first function will be held at Jalandhar, followed by the function in Bathinda and the last would be held in Patiala, the hometown of Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. In each function, at least 22000 to 25000 sarpanches and panchayat members of will be sworn in as per the provision of Panchayati Raj Act by Capt Amarinder Singh, who will be accompanied by senior ministers of his Cabinet, including Rural Development Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. Participants in the swearing-in-ceremony would be served with food and other eatables. Huge tents would be pitched and thousands of chairs would be placed to make the participants feel comfortable and to save them from vagaries of weather. The Punjab Congress leadership has been claiming that candidates supported by the party have won maximum number of Panchayats in the state. Information gathered by TNS revealed that these functions had been planned with two motives. The first motive of the Congress government was that by mobilising such a huge crowd at one spot, it would be able put much needed zeal among the grass roots workers and party rank and file as over the past few months, the disappointment has gripped a large section of them as they had been feeling that they were finding it difficult to serve the people as whims of bureaucrats prevailed. The second purpose behind this exercise was to nullify the possible impact of function being organised by the Shiromani Akali Dal in Amritsar on July 16. However, political observes said that the there was no provision in the Panchayati Raj Act that the Chief Minister would sworn-in the newly elected sarpanches and panchayat members. As per the act, it was mandatory for sarpanch and panchayat members to take oath as specified in schedule one of the Act before taking duties. Meanwhile, the local administration has decided to serve “cholle puri” to the participants in the swearing-in ceremony function which will be held at about 12 O’clock at Sports Stadium of NFL Colony. |
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Lifetime
fellowship for Amrita Pritam Patiala, July 14 The varsity has also awarded a senior fellowship to renowned musician Ajoy Chakaroborty from the Patiala gharana for two years. A varsity press release here today said Amrita Pritam had been conferred fellowship for her lifetime achievements in the field of Punjabi literature. It said eminent historian Dr
J.S. Grewal, former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University and former Director Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla, had been conferred the life fellowship for his contribution to bring Punjab and the Sikh history at the international level. It said noted journalist Kuldeep Nayyar, who had also served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom, had been conferred the fellowship for taking a clear stand on the issue of Punjab and
Punjabiat. The release said renowned musician Ajoy Chakaraborty had been awarded a senior fellowship for two years for his pioneering work on the Patiala
gharana. It said Mr Chakaraborty was running a music school in Calcutta where students were provided free education in Patiala gharana
gayaki. It said similarly Ustad Bakar Husain, renowned figure in Patiala gharana gayaki has been given a two years fellowship for the development of music. |
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Kanjli Lake
to go into private hands Kapurthala, July 14 The decision has been taken by the district administration in view of its alleged inability to manage funds for maintenance of the Kanjli lake being killed by hyacinth. The tourist flow to the place, once a favourite retreat of nature lovers till the onset of militancy in the state, has dwindled. Though the Army had tried hard to clear the lake of the wild growth about two years ago, the effort proved to be short-lived. As a step towards privatisation of the place, the administration had received bids from a number of private entrepreneurs wanting to take control of the lake and develop it as a tourist spot on commercial lines. When contacted, Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, said the privatisation of the lake was indeed on the cards. “We want its better management and development as a good tourist spot,” said Mr Verma. He, however, said only the left bank of the lake, which also had a park and a canteen, would be handed over to the private party for development. “Since the right bank has a number of trees and its own wildlife, we won’t hand it over to anybody,” said the Deputy Commissioner. Utmost care would be taken while going ahead with the project so as to preserve the wildlife ad original character of the place. “The effort would be focussed on providing visitors with clean surroundings and better food. The manual pedal boats are likely to be replaced with the high-tech ones for better boating,” said Mr
Verma. |
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No more funds for govt buildings’
maintenance, says Punjab Govt Chandigarh, July 14 In an order issued on Friday, Mr Surinder Singh, Chief Engineer in the buildings and electrical division of the Public Works Department (B&R), has asked the Superintending Engineer of construction and electrical circles (north/south), Chandigarh, not to create any liability for the maintenance of these buildings. He has written, “The Principal Secretary, Finance, has informed that due to financial constraints and as per the decision of the Cabinet sub-committee on fiscal reforms, no funds will be released to the department for the maintenance of ministers’ houses and VVIP buildings at Chandigarh and other residential or non-residential government buildings in Punjab”. When contacted on the telephone, Mr Arvinder Singh, Executive Engineer of the department and in charge of maintenance of Punjab Government buildings in Chandigarh, said the ban also applied to the buildings of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mini-Secretariat, Punjab Bhavan, Punjab Legislative Assembly, MLA Hostel, Circuit House and all other government buildings owned by the state government at Chandigarh, New Delhi and in the state. He said the maintenance of the Chief Minister’s house and other 16 houses of ministers in Sector-2 had recently been transferred to the PWD from the Chandigarh Administration. “At least 10 out of these 17 houses required renovation at an estimated expenditure of Rs 8 lakh per house”, he said. But the ban has restrained the PWD from carrying out repairs or renovation work in these houses. It may be mentioned that the renovation work of Punjab Bhavan, Kapurthala House, Nabha House and Punjab House at New Delhi has also recently been transferred to the PWD. Earlier, the Hospitality Department used to maintain the building of Punjab Bhavan, New Delhi. “The buildings of New Delhi required lot of repair work at
the However, another senior official of the PWD said the ban had come contrary to the Annual Plan already cleared by the Punjab Legislative Assembly and approved by the Planning Commission. A senior official of the Finance Department confirmed that Rs 15 crore were earmarked in the Annual Plan for repairs and renovation of all government buildings whose maintenance work is assigned to the PWD. Meanwhile, the Chief Engineer has asked all superintending engineers of construction and electrical circles to send detailed reports of maintenance works carried out till May this year to his office. |
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Tussle over DYC chief’s post intensifies Fatehgarh Sahib, July 14 The post of the District Youth Congress president fell vacant after Mr Munish
Verma, son of a sacked minister, Dr Harbans Lal, resigned in protest against the dismissal of his father from the ministry. The vacant post has created a tussle among the national and state units of the body. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Nagra said only the national president had the right to appoint district presidents. He circulated a copy of the office order issued by Mr Nitin Sharma, permanent secretary of the Indian Youth Congress, in which it has been mentioned that the national body has taken a serious note of the appointment of Mr Gursharn Singh Bittoo as acting president of the district Youth Congress and has termed it as a contravention of the constitution of the IYC as prior permission of the IYC president had not been sought. Moreover, the resignation of Mr Verma had not yet been accepted. Mr
Babbu, state president of the IYC, termed the action of the general secretary of the IYC as arbitrary and unwanted. |
Pen-down strike by ministerial staff on July 23 Sangrur, July 14 The strike will be observed to protest against the anti-employees policies of the government and non-implementation of the already accepted demands of the ministerial staff by the state government. Mr Raj Kumar
Arora, Chairman of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, here today said besides observing a pen-down strike, the ministerial staff would also organise protest rallies at the district headquarters and submit memoranda to the respective Deputy Commissioners to get their demands accepted. Mr Arora said the already accepted demands of the ministerial staff, included the implementation of Rakhra committee report, implementation of stenography norms, grant of powers to the DDOs for sanctioning the GPF refundable advance, and promotion of the members of the ministerial staff upto the rank of Additional Director. Mr Arora also asked the Punjab Chief Minister to give the next promotional scale to the employees after four, nine and 14 years of service. He also demanded immediate jobs on compassionate ground for one member of family of each of the deceased employees. |
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High Court Chandigarh, July 14 Issuing the directions, Mr Justice Gupta ordered that the compensation should be paid equally by all those responsible for the offence. The victim — Shavinder Pal Puri — was arrested by the police on September 26, 1998 under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act on the allegations of carrying 1.750 kg of opium without permit. Claiming to have been implicated in the case, the petitioner had sought inquiry into the matter. After looking into the case, Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police (Crime) had concluded that the charges were groundless. The cancellation of the case was also recommended by him. The petitioner was, subsequently, discharged by Moga’s Sessions Judge on October 29, last year. Seeking directions for the registration of a case against those responsible for his implication, besides the grant of compensation, the petitioner had submitted that his business had suffered as he was in jail for a year. After going through the documents and hearing the arguments in the case, Mr Justice Gupta ruled: “I think a harsh view of the matter should be taken and a case should be registered against persons responsible for the false implication. They should be directed to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation in equal share to the petitioner for false implication”.
Hardeep Singh seeks bail In less than a month after a case was registered against Punjab’s former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his officer on special duty Hardeep Singh, the latter today submitted a petition seeking the grant of anticipatory bail in the case. The petition is likely to be taken up by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday. Hardeep Singh was apprehending arrest in a first information report registered on June 24 under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Claiming to have been implicated due to mala fide reasons, the petitioner had submitted that no offense was made out against him. The petitioner had asserted that he was already facing a case for the same offences. The second case was registered simply to curtail his liberty. |
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Hearing on Narottam’s bail plea postponed Faridkot, July 14 Since the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Fatehdeep Singh, was away on leave, Dhillon, accused in three cases, was not produced in the court, which deferred hearing on his plea for bail. Akali rank and file led by SGPC executive member Jagjit Singh Brar and former chairman of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission Manmohan Singh Brar, who had gathered in the district courts to hold protest demonstration, dispersed disappointed in the afternoon after a futile wait for the production of Dhillon. Dhillon, who was arrested from Shimla by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau last month, has been charged with links with Pakistan-based terrorists as also for having allegedly laundered money for Badals besides being involved in a corruption case.
— UNI |
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Lawyers’ dharna continues Fazilka, July 14 |
Insurance
firm told to pay Rs 93,000 Ropar, July 14 Parvinder Singh, in his complaint before the forum, had alleged that he had purchased a Maruti (CH-01-N-0284) from Mohit Dhawan. At the time of purchase the vehicle was insured with the New India Insurance Company till July 2, 2001. After the lapse of policy he approached company officials for further insurance. The officials, however, told him that since the car was not yet registered in his name the policy could not be issued in his name. However, later, officials of the company duly received the premium from him but issued the policy in the name of Mohit Dhawan and added his name on the policy papers. The policy was for a period from July 3, 2001 to July 2, 2002. On December 15, 2001 his car met with an accident resulting in total loss of the car. He informed officials of the insurance company about the accident who advised him to take it at a garage at Mani Majra. A surveyor was deputed to assess the damage to the car who assessed it as total loss. Parvinder Singh submitted all papers and completed the formalities for claiming the insurance amount from the company. The company officials, however, without any reason, rejected his claim, the complainant alleged. The complainant, besides demanding Rs 1 lakh as claim for total loss of his vehicle also demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 for alleged harassment he had to undergo at the hands of the company officials. Company officials, in a reply filed before the forum, admitted that the vehicle was insured by their company. They, however, said that the complainant could not be paid claim as the policy was not in his name. The complainant should have got the policy transferred in his name after the registration number was transferred to his name to entitle himself for the claim. After both the parties had submitted the evidence in the form of affidavits the forum comprising the president, Mr J.P. Gupta, and a member Mr S.K. Bhatia, found the insurance company guilty of deficiency in service. The company was directed to pay to the complainant Rs 80,000 as total loss for the vehicle and a compensation of Rs 13,500. The amount was to be paid within 30 days pending which it would carry an interest of 9 per cent per annum. |
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NCM Chairman calls meeting
on Hemkunt Sahib clash Amritsar, July 14 The Uttaranchal District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police, Uttaranchal, the Secretary (Law) and the Secretary (Home) would be present at the meeting in the commission’s office. The NMC chairman said it was an unfortunate incident. He also said the meeting would be held in Delhi. Tension has been prevailing in Hemkunt Sahib near Dehra Dun since June 29 when some local shopkeepers clashed with Sikh pilgrims on issue of exorbitant charges by them for daily-need products purchased by the pilgrims. This resulted in arson and looting that led to tension between the locals and Sikh community. |
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Gateman
prevents rail mishap Subhanpur (Kapurthala), July 14 No loss of life or property was reported, but rail traffic on the Jalandhar-Amritsar track remained disrupted for about an-hour and-a-half. The traffic could only be restored after an alternative engine was sent to pull the train. Passengers were shocked to see the gateman at the Ramidiwala railway crossing near here, where the 2716 down train had slowed down at about 6.20 a.m., waving at them and shouting that the engine was on fire. The gateman, Joginder Singh, was successful in drawing the attention of some passengers who heared his shouts and pulled the chain. The driver of the train shut down the engine to prevent the fire from spreading any further beyond the silencer and exhaust fans of the engine. The railway sources, however, said merely that some snag in the engine had led to the fire, which had been controlled at the initial stage due to the alertness of the gateman. The alternative engine had been brought from Jalandhar only to ward off the apprehensions of passengers. “The faulty engine was towed upto Jalandhar, where it was stationed for exhaustive check-up,” said railway sources. Nobody, including the driver or anyone from the engine crew, was injured in the incident. When contacted, the Station Superintendent at Jalandhar, Mr Subash Ghosh, said that he was unaware of the fire. “The Railway officials concerned have told me that there has been a minor snag in the engine of the train and we have subsequently arranged another engine for carrying the train,” Mr Ghosh said. |
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156 cr to upgrade medical institute at Jalandhar Nawanshahr, July 14 The government had completed the process of conducting elections to the three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions in the state and now it would soon empower these institutions by delegating planning and supervisory powers of some departments having direct concern with the rural areas, he said. The minister while criticising the previous SAD-BJP government for creating a fiscal mess in the state and undermining the Panchayati Raj institutions by organising ‘Sangat Darshan programmes’, claimed that the Congress government had succeeded in fulfilling its pre-poll promises of providing corruption-free and transparent administration and putting the derailed economy back on track during the one-and-a-half-year of its rule. The current financial year was being observed as ‘Development Year’. Abundant funds would be made available to the panchayats for providing basic civic amenities and carrying out development works, he said. He exhorted the panchayats to prepare master-plans of their respective villages so that the development works be carried out in a well-planned way. |
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Nagar Council’s special meeting put off Phagwara, July 14 Office of the Nagar Council President Malkiat Singh Ragbotra was locked and a notice pasted outside it proclaimed adjournment of meeting. The meeting was notified to be held at 5 pm this evening. The meeting was called to elect three Trustees from among the Councillors for the local Improvement Trust. The Congress has majority in the Nagar Council it could not decide on three names. In the 28-member Council, 19 members are either of the Congress or supported by it. Local MLA and Punjab Social Welfare Minister Joginder Singh Mann is an ex-officio member of the council. The opposition has nine members. On June 30 also, Nagar Council Chief Malkiat Singh Ragbotra had adjourned the meeting due to lack of quorum. That time, all nine Opposition Councillors came to attend the meeting but the Congress Councillors
stage-managed absenteeism as a subterfuge to escape embarrassment as the party had failed to decide names of three Councillors to be elected as trustees. Mr Ragbotra could not be contacted. Congress Councillors belonging to the faction headed by PPCC member Balbir Raja Sodhi had also come to attend the meeting. They included Council Vice President Ms Sita
Devi, Padam Dev Sudhir, Ramesh Jordan, Ms Tripata Dhir. Another Congress Councillor belonging to the other faction was seen standing there to attend the meeting. These Councillors left after seeing the adjournment notice. The Councillors belonging to Joginder Singh Mann, local MLA and Punjab Minister, had stayed away. Due to the nomination of Mr Harjit Singh Parmar as Chairman of Local Improvement Trust, the new equations have emerged in the ruling Congress. Mr Parmar is anti-Mann and till his nomination was sidelined by Mann group. With Parmar staging a comeback, his group is now again in the reckoning. Mr Sodhi group is already opposed to Mann group. Since all three factions want their men nominated a consensus is eluding the Congress. Meanwhile, all nine opposition Councillors led by their leader Rakesh Duggal raised slogans against the Congress party for running away from the election of trustees fearing defeat. Mr Iqbal Singh
Kundi, Ms Sarabjit Kaur, Mr Inderjit Sonkar of SAD, Arun Khosla, Vira Ram
Valjot, Surinder Shinda, Rakesh Duggal of BJP and Ramesh Kaul and Ms Surinder Kaur of the BSP were present and sloganeering. |
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CPM men protest against police ‘inaction’ Amritsar, July 14 A large number of CPM workers protested from 10 am to 12 noon. They raised slogans against the SP and his Reader. The agitating workers tried to enter the Kotwali complex. However, they were forcibly restrained from entering the complex. Mr Jagtar Singh Karampura, a senior leader of the party, alleged that Kuldip Kaur, a resident of Bhai Vir Singh Colony in Mule Chak village had been thrown out of her in-laws house. He said she was married to Raju, a resident of the Angarh area. He along with other family members (in-laws of the girl) were demanding more dowry from the girl, he added. The accused used to severely beat the girl as she failed to bring more dowry. A case under Sections 498-A, 497, 341, 342, 232, 506, 34, IPC, was registered at C-division police station in this regard. The CPM leader alleged that they had given a complaint to the SSP, Mr Kultar Singh, who had marked an inquiry to SP (city-I). He, however, added that when he along with the girl and her father went to the SP, his Reader did not allow them to meet him. He demanded that departmental inquiry should be initiated against the Reader. However, Mr Kunwar Vijay Partap claimed that the accused had been arrested by the police. |
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National
Flag burnt on funeral pyre Moga, July 14 When contacted Congressmen did not deny the incident but said that the funeral pyre was lit accidentally as none of the members of the funeral procession noticed it. |
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Exposure
to chemicals ‘affects’ learning ability Amritsar, July 14 He was a speaking at a seminar on the effect of environmental chemicals on developing brains and development of herbal drugs organised by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University here today. The seminar was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor. This type of exposure affected ability to learn and reproduce. Toxins like mercury had a deadly effect on brain and other vital organs like heart, liver, kidney and gonads. The symptoms were observed when the child grew up and sub-clinical symptoms manifested during adulthood, added Dr Seth. Dr
S.P. Singh focused on development of herbal drugs to neutralise effect of environmental pollutants on developing brains of children. These pollutants were known to create tension, stress etc. Stress was laid on launching a national programme of monitoring food for children and general food intake by humans, developing analytical parameters and tables for children of the country that would lead to healthier persons. |
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PSEB drive on energy conservation Patiala, July 14 A series of programmes have been chalked out by the board to spread awareness among people about the need to conserve power. Besides this, paper reading contest on energy conservation are also being organised by the board in various schools and colleges of the state. A board release here said in schools and colleges paper reading contests are being organised on the subject “Why and how to conserve electricity”. It said in the series, energy conservation wing of the board is holding a paper reading contest on July 16 at Sant Inder Dass Public Senior Secondary School in Tripri which will be presided over by board Director, Energy Conservation, O.P. Ahuja. It said another similar paper reading contests would be organised by the board on July 25 at Government Senior Girls School, Jalandhar. |
Factory owner found murdered Amritsar, July 14 The police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC at the Sultanwind police station here. The deceased was not married. A Nepalese servant of Mahinder Singh reportedly absconded after the murder. In another case, the district police booked a councillor Gurwinder Singh, a resident of the Punjab Roadways Colony, for allegedly
trespassing the house of Gurwinder Singh, a resident of the same area. |
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Coop bank official arrested Patiala, July 14 A Vigilance team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Baldev Singh caught secretary Balwinder Singh red handed while he was taking the bribe of Rs 3,000 from the complainant on behalf of the bank manager Amrik Singh. The complainant Amar Singh had, in a complaint to the Vigilance Department, claimed that the manager and the secretary of the bank were compelling him to pay a bribe of Rs 3,000 in case he wanted them to clear a loan of Rs 50,000 for which he had applied to the Cooperative
Bank. Following this a Vigilance team caught the secretary red handed while he was taking the bribe. |
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Inspector
held on bribe charge Ferozepore, July 14 Vigilance bureau DSP Surinder Singh Sandhu, who laid the trap, told reporters that Amarjit Singh, SHO of the police station, was caught when he was allegedly accepting the money while sitting in his office in the police station from Ashu Sharma of Ferozepore cantonment. Sharma, who was booked in a case on May 6, had been promised by the SHO to exonerate him if he (Sharma) paid Rs 10,000. The accused, the DSP said, had already paid Rs 5000 to the SHO earlier. |
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3 killed
in road mishap Kapurthala, July 14 The dead have been identified as Harbans Singh of Nurpur Labana and his wife Manjit Kaur. According to police reports, the couple, after attending a bhog ceremony in Amritsar, was returning to their its village on scooter. When the scooter reached near Gadana village a bus of a private company coming from behind hit the scooter due to which the husband and wife died at the
spot. The bus also turned turtled causing death of a minor girl about 10 years old at the spot. Eleven passengers were injured. The injured were rushed to private hospitals at Beas, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. The police has registered a case under Section 304-A of IPC against Randhir Singh, driver of the bus, who has absconded. The police has impounded the bus. |
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3 youths
killed in mishap Ropar, July 14 The accident took place near Gardala village
on the Ropar-Anandpur Sahib road. They were going to Naina Devi shrine
near Anandpur Sahib. The police has registered a case under Sections
159, 304-A, and 279 of the IPC against the driver of the truck. |
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2 held; chains, car recovered Phagwara, July 14 The Superintendent of Police, Mr Harmanbir Singh Gill, said the arrested men were Raj Kumar and Vijay Kumar of Jalandhar. They were riding a scooter without a number plate when a police party led by Mr Manjit Singh, SHO (City), stopped them. |
Teachers’ front seeks
adjustment in postings Bathinda, July 14 In a press note issued here today, Mr Basant Kumar, secretary, DTF, Bathinda district, said during an inquiry conducted by Mr Darbara Singh, Additional DPI (Schools), Punjab, into the allegations levelled by the DTF in connection with some wrong transfers, it was found that district education authorities had violated the rationalisation and had effected some transfers wrongly. Mr Darbara Singh, who conducted an inquiry on July 9, had given a proposal of some adjustments of posting of such teachers and had submitted the same to the DPI (Schools), Punjab. He said though the DPI had approved that list of adjustment of those teachers, the district education authorities had not been taking further action on the same deliberately. He said the DTF would launch an agitation if this attitude of the authorities continued. He said some Punjab Government officials had been trying to cause harm to the anti-corruption drive launched by the Chief Minister, Capt
Amarinder Singh. |
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PCCTU for
MLAs on college bodies Sangrur, July 14 Talking to TNS today Prof P.K. Sharma, president of the district unit of the PCCTU, said the district unit also wanted that the managing committees of private colleges, failing in their duties towards the teachers and students, running away from their responsibilities, and violating the Punjab Government and Punjabi University norms, should quit to pave way for others for better management of colleges. He said the district unit also wanted that seasoned and reputed academicians in sufficient numbers should be included in the managing committees of the colleges. Prof Sharma further said the district unit was also sore over the alleged whimsical and autocratic
style of functioning of only a few functionaries of the managing committees whereas a majority of the members on the managing bodies were just following their ‘directions’. Prof Sharma also stated that in many colleges in the Sangrur district, the college teachers had not been paid their salaries for six to seven months and the Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) of the teaching staff in many private colleges had not been deposited for about nine months to one year. |
Relay fast by fertiliser factory staff Ropar, July 14 The coordination committee of the employee unions would also hold a meeting tomorrow at Panipat to decided on the future course of agitation in view of the recent decision of the Cabinet committee on disinvestment (CCD). The recent decision of the CCD regarding the NFL threatens existence of Nangal and Bathinda plants of the company. On July 10 a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister the CCD decided to allow the buyer of the NFL to sell properties of the company or close down any plant immediately after the take over. Earlier a condition of five years was laid for private buyers for closing or selling off the NFL plants or properties. The Nangal and Bathinda plants of NFL were based on oil-based technology. The cost of production in these plants was much higher than that of new gas-based plants. With the efforts of Union Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa a condition was added that any buyer of NFL would have to run the old plants for a period of five years. The condition was added to protect interests of the workers of the company. However, now that the condition has been waved and any new buyer would not run the loss making Nangal and Bathinda plants. Instead the buyers would sell the properties of the Nangal and Bathinda plants and recover the amount they would spend on buying the 51 per cent equity of NFL. The Nangal plant of the NFL has 3500 acres land which includes a developed colony. The land was acquired from the villagers for peanuts on plea that the PSU would held develop the local area. However, now if the plant was wound up the economy of the Nangal area would be hit. Mr P.S. Grewal the CMD of the NFL, who was also at Nangal today, said that apprehensions of workers regarding privatisation were unfounded. The Nangal and Bathinda plants of the NFL were in profit. However, when the stage II of the pricing policy on fertilisers came into force from April 2004 the efficiency of both these plants would have to be increased to keep them viable. The efficiency of these plants can be increased energy saving and renovations. On the assertion of the workers that they would pledge their provident fund for buying the 51 per cent equity in the NFL Mr Grewal said that the proposal was not feasible as the PF rules did not allow the use of funds for bidding or pledging purpose. He also told that in view of the privatisation of the NFL many proposed moves as the winding up of schools and other departments run by the company had put off. |
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