Unit Capacity to be Doubled Soon
Universal brotherhood prevails at SGPC press
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 10
The capacity of SGPC’s Golden Printing Press at Gurdwara Ramsar here is likely to be doubled soon. It supplies Sikh devotees all over the world with holy birs of Guru Granth Sahib.

The press prints less than 40,000 birs in a year while the demand is much more. Chief of the SGPC Jathedar Avtar Singh, who took up the matter with the state and centre governments to impose a ban on the publication and sale of the Guru Granth Sahib by private publishers and booksellers, has said the capacity of the press would be doubled shortly.

He said a new press would be established where holy birs would be published as per Sikh maryada. The process to publish the birs was lengthy since these were published keeping in view the Sikh traditions, he added.

True to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, which preaches universal brotherhood, the publication of the birs in the press is being looked after by the machine men and workers who are mostly non-Sikhs from Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, UP, New Delhi and other states. They are well versed in the Sikh traditions and never found violating maryada.

With recitation of ‘satnam waheguru’, the workers publish the birs round the clock in shifts. The offset press was imported from Germany at a cost of Rs 75 lakh in 1991. It prints on an average 5,000 copies annually.

The spirit of worship is best reflected in the fact that loose paper sheets (after printing) are covered with ‘romalas’ (the holy cloth). Then the holy books are wrapped in beautiful ‘romalas’ after their printing. Entry to the press is restricted. In the five-storey gurdwara, the press has been set up in the basement. The gurdwara was raised by fifth Sikh Guru Guru Arjan Dev in 1604.

Since Guru Granth Sahib is a living guru, “waste paper” at the press is kept with great reverence and then “cremated” at Goindwal Sahib as per Sikh traditions. All Hindu employees, working in the press, are non-smokers and do not consume liquor. Senior SGPC officials said press workers, having good experience in the field, were engaged at higher pay scales so that quality printing could be done at the press. The workers pledge to maintain complete maryada before their appointment.

The SGPC has got modified special bedecked vans to carry 500 volumes of Guru Granth Sahib to gurdwaras in the country without charging cartage fee.

Fatehgarh Sahib,  October 10
The development works in Sirhind and Fatehgarh Sahib have almost come to a standstill due to an infighting going on amongst the BJP and SAD councillors, who even after a month are still indecisive regarding whom to elect the next president of the local municipal council.

The previous president of the Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib MC, Charanjit Singh, who belonged to the Congress, had been forced to resign by the BJP and SAD councilors on September 5, despite the fact that there are five two out of 17 councilors, who belong to the alliance here.

According to sources, as BJP and SAD were in power in the state, the councilors managed to topple the Congress president who had nine councillors in his favour.

After the Congress president resigned, political activities within the Akali and BJP faction picked up momentum. The two councilors Sher Singh (SAD) and Ashok Kumar Sood (BJP) both started vying for the presidentship of the MC. Both the leaders went all out to vow the councilors in their favour.

The sources added that even as they managed to win over some of the independent and Congress councilors, both the leaders could not settle among themselves as to who would lead the MC.

As of today, several development projects have been put on a hold in absence of a competent body that could pass the projects. Projects like parks that were to be developed at Hamayupur and the Mandi Park along with several projects of sanitation, water pipe lines and recarpeting of the roads have taken a back seat. Besides, the project to cover the Nulla that emits foul smell making life difficult of people living in its vicinity, has also been delayed.

Even as a meeting to elect the next president was called on October 3, it concluded without any results as the Akali-BJP councilors and their supporters failed to turn up for the meeting. Sources stated that on the very same day, these councilors had held a meeting at the house of Sirhind MLA Didar Singh Bhatti to decide who would head the civic body, but could not reach a consensus.

With the Akalis-BJP still being indecisive, it is the general public in the historical town which is left with no other option but to wait endlessly as to when the ruling combine would sort out their issues and development works in the town would get underway again. 

Malerkotla, October 10
The police today fired four rounds in the air and lathicharged agitating traders when they allegedly pelted it with bricks. Local SHO Swaranjeet Singh, who suffered injuries, was admitted to the civil hospital. The traders claimed that two of their men also sustained injuries.

Traders blocked the Malerkotla-Ludhiana main road for about four hours in protest against the alleged police favour to the tempo union. They alleged that the union was not allowing the traders to hire vehicles on their own to transport their goods.

Recently, when a trader arranged a tempo on his own to transport his goods, members of the union beat him up, the traders said.

They were demanding an FIR against the members of the union who beat up the trader. They alleged that the SHO took bribe from the union.

On the other hand, the SHO claimed that the traders pelted him with stones and torn his uniform, besides hurling abuses on him. He refuted the bribe allegations levelled against him.

Meanwhile, Sangrur SSP Arun Pal Singh reached the local Sadar police station and took stock of the situation. He ordered an inquiry into the incident to be conducted by SP (D) Bhupinder Jeet Singh Virk.

The SSP said Virk would submit his report to him tomorrow on the basis of which he would take action against the erring persons.

Amritsar, October 10
Beleaguered NRI quota students of Guru Nanak Dev University here today held a dharna to protest against the dilly-dallying approach of the university authorities in view of orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court cancelling their admissions.

About 175 students of the MBA and MCA courses under the NRI category gathered and blocked the main gate of the university early in the morning and did not allow the university faculty and other students to enter the campus.

They raised slogans against the university authorities for keeping them in the dark and not issuing any statement explaining the present status of the affected students. However, the security men could be seen directing the employees and students to enter the campus from the rear gate on the Ram Tirath Road.

The leaders of the two main student unions, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), despite their political affiliations, joined hands in support of the struggling students and demanded that the authorities should file a suit in the Supreme Court against the judgment of the high court so that a precious year of the students could be saved. They warned that if the university failed to save the interests of the students and cancelled their admissions, the students would be forced to intensify their agitation.

However, repeated attempts to contact the registrar, Dr R.S. Bawa, proved futile, as he did not attend to the phone calls.

Talking to the media, Gautam Majithia, president, NSUI, and Gurjit Nagra, vice-president, ABVP, Chandigarh, said the students could not be punished for the wrong they did not commit because they had applied under the NRI quota as the university authorities had notified about the seats in its prospectus.

The Supreme Court in its order passed on July 13 had clearly stated that no Indian student could be admitted in any of the courses under the NRI category. The GND varsity still had admitted about 175 students in the MBA and MCA courses under this category.

Meanwhile, a committee of parents of the MCA students had been formed which would file a petition in the apex court against the university authorities for spoiling the career of their wards and would also demand a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from 
the university.

Amritsar, October 10
A group of Latin American and Caribbean ambassadors are on a tour of the region to have stronger political ties with India and explore possibilities of agro-based trade.

After arriving at the Amritsar railway station, the ambassadors visited the historic Jallianwala Bagh Memorial and later paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. They were accompanied by minister for information and public relations Bikram Majithia and PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa.

Talking to mediapersons, Milena Santana Ramirez said coming to the Golden Temple was a spiritual experience and it marks the beginning of a series of such trips to other major cities in the region to achieve more political contact with Indian states.

The group is also scheduled to hold interactions with scientists and faculty of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, tomorrow, after which they will call on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh.

The group was led by Ernesto Carlos Alvarez, ambassador of Argentina, and included Miguel Angel Ramirez, ambassador of Cuba, Ricardo Leon, Charge De Affairs (CDA), Chile, Carlos Abad, ambassador of Ecuador, J.Ronald Hajraj, high commissioner of Guyana, Rogelio Granguillhome, ambassador of Mexico, Henaro Pappalardo, CDA of Paraguay, Carlos Alberto Yrigoyen, CDA of Peru and Hans Dannerberg, ambassador of Dominican Republic. Spouses accompanied most of them.

Majithia said some of the Latin American and Caribbean countries whose ambassadors are a part of the group, have agriculture-based economy and their governments would like to have greater trade with Punjab.

“The ambassadors’ visit to PAU and the meeting with Chief Minister would result in setting up of some agriculture-based agreements,” he said.

After being honoured with a ‘siropa’ inside the Information Bureau, one of the members of the delegation reportedly tried to light a cigarette, but was in time stopped by an onlooker. 

Chandigarh, October 10
Countering allegations levelled by CPM leader Brinda Karat with regard to the import of wheat, Congress MLA from Qila Raipur, Jassi Khangura, has urged her to understand the context and circumstances in which the decision to import wheat was taken.

In a letter to Karat, he has urged Left parties to avoid criticism of wheat imports.

He said there were historical precedents for wheat imports. With wealth percolating across all sections of society, demand for wheat would increase further. Prior to the procurement season there was widespread apprehension that farmers would hoard wheat this year in anticipation of substantially higher value later in the year.

“It is easy to be critical at a later date, but in the run-up to the last wheat procurement season the above-mentioned concerns could have only led to a decision favoring wheat imports,” he said. It was important to accept the necessity of recurring wheat imports, probably annually in ever-increasing quantities, and to develop tender procedures that deliver best value, he added.

“It is also important to ban wheat exports which are invariably followed by imports sometimes, as in 1996,” he asserted.

“We must correct urgently decades of under investment in agriculture, irrigation and agricultural R and D if we are to avoid undue reliance on food imports,” he said.

With a rapidly developing economy and a fast rate of urbanisation since Independence, we have a record proportion of our population that needs to procure food, he wrote.

Fatehgarh Sahib, October 10
Senior BJP leader and state transport minister Master Mohan Lal said here today that the BJP was ready to accept Sukhbir Singh Badal as Punjab Chief Minister provided the Akali MLAs, too, favour him for the top post.

Speaking to mediapersons after presiding over a function organised by a leading transporter at Mandi Gobindgarh, the minister said there were no differences between the BJP and the SAD. He said some individuals with vested political interests were trying to rake up controversies that all was not well between the alliance partners.

He claimed that both parties were committed to the growth of the state that no one would be allowed to hinder the development process started by the state government. Master Mohan Lal also ruled out any rift within the state unit of the BJP. — TNS

Chandigarh, October 10
The power tariff hike issue that has created a lot of heart burning in the BJP, a coalition partner of the SAD in the Punjab Government, will be sorted out at the party level.

Senior BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia said today that the issue would be discussed and resolved at the party level. "I have spoken to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard. We want that the burden of tariff hike should not be put on the people and some alternative should be found,” he added.

The Punjab Government would have to pay Rs 292 crore to the PSEB in case it wanted to bear the burden of revised power tariff hike. Besides it, the government is to pay about Rs 2,500 crore as subsidy to farm sector and poor sections of society during the current year. 

Bathinda, October 10
In the next few months, Bathinda is all set to have its own ring road, on the pattern of cities like New Delhi. The proposed 5.5-km ring road will connect the Barnala road to the Mansa road. To make the project a reality, illegal encroachments, on the land that will be used to construct the proposed road, were demolished today by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) officials.

This road will facilitate the movement of Army vehicles that leave for Haryana and Rajasthan from the Bathinda cantonment.

The foundation stone of the proposed road was laid by Balramji Dass Tandon, the then minister for local bodies, Punjab.

K. K. Yadav, administrator, PUDA, Bathinda, said, “Out of a total of 5.5 km of road, 1 km will be constructed by the Improvement Trust, 2.5 km by the Bathinda Development Authority and 2 km by the Public Works Department. A tender worth Rs 1.12 crore has already been floated and once its construction starts, it will take almost four months to complete it.”

The demolition drive started around 9 am today and removed 28 illegal houses on the road, while nine more have acquired a stay order from the court. The plan was to construct a 200-foot-wide four-lane road, but for the time being, this road will be 100-foot-wide with two lanes.

PUDA officials said they had served notices to the encroachers almost 15 days ago informing them about the demolition process. “Most people vacated their houses in advance and were empty so we didn’t have to face public wrath,’’ they added.

Bathinda, October 10
Seventy-year-old Kailash Devi, who looked frail but had determination seeping out of her steely voice, was here to take part in a meeting held for widows of freedom fighters and their dependents at the Teachers’ Home.

“My husband Banarsi Dass participated in the Parja Mandal Lahar and fought against the British for the freedom of the motherland. He was sent to jail many times, but his contribution went unnoticed in independent India,” she said.

“Because of the injuries received while fighting the British, he had to suffer physical pain. In fact, there were days when he could not get out of bed. But he received no support from the government which remained blissfully unaware of his plight despite repeated reminders,” she pointed out.

“Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, during his previous tenure on November 4, 1997, had presented him with a certificate acknowledging his participation in the Parja Mandal Lahar, at a state-level programme held at Chandigarh. My husband wrote a letter to him for a pension, but no action followed,” she informed.

“After his death, I sent a letter to the Chief Minister in response to which I received a reply vide letter number 2/4/06-9P3/636 dated August 1, 2007, advising me to contact the district administration concerned,” she said.

“I apprised the deputy commissioner, Bathinda, about my plight on September 6 this year. But he only offered old-age pension, which was a measly sum. So I refused,” she said and asked, “Is providing a certificate enough for a freedom fighter and his family?”

DC Rahul Tiwari when contacted said the administration was willing to re-examine the issue and sort it out.

Chandigarh, October 10
Quashing the orders terminating the services of Punjab Nurses Registration Council Registrar Gulshanbir Kaur, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed her reinstatement.

Pronouncing the orders in an open court, Justice S.D Anand also directed that Gulshanbir Kaur shall also be entitled to all the consequential benefits. The judge ruled that the impugned orders were not sustainable as these had not been initially passed by the council, which was the only competent authority to take disciplinary action against the Council Registrar.

Challenging the orders (dated May 17, 2004), terminating her services and subsequent order (dated July 16, 2004), declining her statutory appeal, Gulshanbir Kaur had earlier contended that the same lacked jurisdiction and were in violation of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules.

She had added that the termination of her services was invalid as it had not been ordered by the council. Even her appeal against the orders had not been put up before the council. Arguing on her behalf, counsel for the petitioner had added that the Act did not authorise the council president to take a decision in disciplinary matters against the Council Registrar. 

Ludhiana, October 10
The “algoze” (piped musical instrument) player, who has shared the dais with a majority of the leading artists from Punjab, including Sardool Sikander, Kuldeep Manak, Surinder Chhinda, Pammi Bai, Jamla Jatt, Jagat Singh Jagga, Dhanna Singh Rangeela and Harbhajan Mann, over the past several decades, today faces rebuke from his sons who ask him daily “what have you done for us?”

Tara Chand now sits idle at him home, except for a lone disciple, Avtar Singh, particularly for the past little more than a year. He finds invitations to no place to exhibit his talent in order to make an earning. “The computer has snatched away my daily bread from me. Singers now perform on pre-recorded CDs. The music companies are mixing and remixing our old tunes on the new songs. There is no place left for us”.

Tara Chand, born in Sialkot in Pakistan in 1938, came to Jammu Tawi after Partition. The family shifted to the city from Jammu Tawi in 1965. His mastery in “ragas” on the piped instrument had him invited as a favourite co-artiste on stage performances with all leading artistes in music. He was awarded at the Mohan Singh mela during the early 1990s. The Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi also announced an award for him in January earlier this year.

“Neither I got any award nor any financial help”, the artiste said.

“I am amazed at the government’s attitude towards artistes. We have government bodies to conserve as well as promote art. They are doing nothing to protect the interests of the artistes”, he lamented.

Tara Chand has performed on radio and television. He has also been a part of the background music team in Punjabi cinema and even Bollywood.

Avtar Singh is the lone disciple he has. This student comes daily from Saunth village on a bicycle. “I have heard many artistes, but none knows the expertise of handling the instrument better than my master. I am coming here for the past more than five years,” he said.

“I feel sorry for my master. I wish the state government could have a pension scheme for the graded artistes. The state can also organise regular camps under the tutelage of the masters for preserving and promoting the ethnic art”, he added.

Chandigarh, October 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court will get another Judge following the clearance of District and Sessions Judge K.C. Puri's name for elevation. The Judicial Officer is currently posted in Amritsar.

Sources in the High Court said that the President of India, Pratibha Patil, had given her consent for Puri's elevation as High Court Judge and formal orders in this regard were expected to be received by the Registrar-General's office within a day or so. As such, Puri is expected to be sworn in as a Judge by the High Court Chief Justice Vijender Jain on Monday, the sources added. Pursuant to his elevation, the roaster of benches is also expected to change once again.

The number of judges with his elevation is expected to go up to 37, against the sanctioned strength of 40. 

Rupnagar, October 10
Two more witnesses turned hostile in the corruption case against Badal family in the court of special judge G.S. Saran. Total five witnesses deposed before the court today of whom two turned hostile and three supported the prosecution. Till now 36 witnesses have appeared before the court and 25 of them have turned hostile.

Deposing before the court, Vijay Kumar, a junior engineer in The Department of Drainage, sub-division Bathinda said as per the orders of The Vigilance Bureau, Bathinda he went to the VB office in Chandigarh in October 2003. Here the VB officials asked him to sign some blank papers wherein it would be stated he had visited Badal's Balasar farms. He told th court he was threatened to sign two blank papers or else would be taken in police custody. He denied ever visiting Balasar farms.

Siimilarly, sub-divisional engineer, Irrigation Department, Bathinda, Rajinder Singh told the court in 2001 he was posted in Bathinda. He too denied ever-visiting Balasar farms, leave alone the question of assessing it for the VB. He added the VB officials at Chandigarh forced him to sign blank papers or else the VB threatened him with locking up in Mohali police station.

Tek Chand, deputy director horticulture, Abohar said the VB had asked him to assess the kinnow, grapes and nakh grown in the orchids of Badal family. He saidhe gave report as per existing rates and his statement had been rightly recorded by the VB. Davinder Singh Sandhu, deputy director horticulture Bathinda, stated in 2003 he was posted in Muktsar. On August 9, 2003 he visited the VB office Chandigarh with then deputy director Rajinder Singh Grewal and horticulture development officer Narinderjit Singh. They were asked to prepare five years' (1997 to 2002) report of Badal's orchids. He told the court the report was made on the basis of data provided by patwari on the spot, as per the mandi board rates on average basis. Raijinder Singh Grewal too confirmed the same before th court. 

Bathinda, October 10
Members of the Save Cotton Belt Farmers Committee, Punjab, held a protest outside the offices of the deputy commissioner (DC) and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) here today. The protesters raised slogans and blocked the traffic for about 20 minutes.

They submitted a memorandum to the DC demanding that the rate of cotton be fixed at Rs 3,750 per quintal.

The committee members also alleged that the traders had sold fake BT cotton seeds to the farmers. They also demanded a legal action against them and compensation for those affected.

ABOHAR: Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta-Ugrahan, led by Gurmail Singh Burja, marched in a procession to the sub-divisional complex here on Wednesday and burnt narma-cotton to express resentment over non-remunerative price.

They said the survey by government agencies had confirmed that narma-cotton cost Rs 3,100 per quintal to the growers. Even then they were made to sell the produce at less than Rs 2,000 as well as allow traders to discount Rs 100 under the pretext of moisture, besides other means of victimisation.

Amritsar, October 10
Even as the Delhi High Court took a serious view of the killing of innocent people by private Blueline buses in the Capital, a bus mowed down two beggars sleeping on a footpath at the Bhandari Bridge in the wee hours today, while three were seriously injured in the mishap.

Those killed were identified as Vijay Kumar from Orissa and Baba Anna from Kerala, while the injured were Sunny Lal from Bihar, Marathi Baba from Maharashtra and Alabadi from Allahabad.

The Civil Lines police registered a case under Section 304-A and other relevant sections of the IPC.

According to information, the speeding mini-bus was coming from the Hall Gate area to the railway station crossing the Bhandari Bridge. The victims were sleeping on the side footpath of the bridge when the incident happened.

The injured were immediately rushed to a hospital where their condition was stated to be serious. The policemen present near the spot tried to chase the mini-bus. However, the driver of the bus was successful in escaping from the spot.

Rupnagar, October 10
A jilted lover allegedly tried to immolate himself along with a girl here today. The accused Jasvir has been arrested.

The incident took place at around 5.30 pm, when 20-year-old Jasvir Singh, a resident of village Jhalliyan Kalan, stopped a girl at Morinda road. He tied himself along with the girl with iron shackles and sprinkled kerosene oil. Before he would light a matchstick, people standing nearby overpowered him and called the police.