 |
|
|
|
|
|
Be fair to Punjab, CM tells Centre
Dakala (Patiala), January 28 Addressing a rally at Ghalouri village in the Dakala Assembly constituency today, Badal said had the Congress been serious towards the farming community of Punjab, it would not have been pushed deep into debt-trap. He said agriculture was no more a profitable vocation in view of negligible returns. “Our government has been demanding the linking of MSP with the consumer price index since long, but the Centre has always turned down our plea without any reason. Our farmers have already exhausted natural resources at their disposal in terms of groundwater and soil fertility to contribute maximum to the national food pool, but what they have got in return except penury, humiliation and depression,” he said. He described the candidate of the SAD-BJP alliance from the Patiala parliamentary constituency, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, as Napolean of the party. He had tremendous capabilities to serve the people of his constituency with utmost dedication and sincerity, he added. On the occasion, senior leader of the Congress Umar Ranjit Singh Naina, along with his supporters, joined the SAD. Naina said he had taken the decision to join the Akali Dal as he was feeling suffocated in the Congress due to the autocratic style of functioning of its leaders like Amarinder Singh. Meanwhile, Badal handed over a cheque for Rs 1 crore for the development of Sanur town and announced a grant of Rs 3.68 crore for the execution of various works in the villages of the Dakala constituency.
|
|
Tribune Special
Jalandhar, January 28 Only the commission is competent to allow the board to revise tariff and mobilise resources to meet its fiscal requirement. Sources in the commission on Tuesday confirmed a letter having been written to the board asking about its legal status. As the PSEB has not been given approval to continue in existing form beyond November 30, 2008, by the Union government, its legal status has become untenable. The Tribune reported board’s uncertain legal status as the Electricity Act,1948, under which the board had been set up, has since been repealed. The new Electricity Act, 2003, has been enacted. Under the new Act, the PSEB was to be unbundled into companies transmission, distribution and generation companies. To do so, the Union government was authorised under the Electricity Act, 2003, to allow extension for a particular period to the state governments concerned to unbundle their electricity boards. Punjab has been granted eight extensions since 2003. However, the Union government has not granted extension beyond November 30. Apprehending protest from board's employees, who have been opposing unbundling, the Badal government is not in a mood to have various companies in place of the board. Sources in the commission said though the PSEB existed as an institution and was performing its tasks, as far as law was concerned its legal status was uncertain. "So we decided not to take tariff petition on record till we get the PSEB’s reply on it," said an officer of the commission. In the petition to the commission, the PSEB had played very clever. It did not enclose with the petition a copy of the reference made by the Punjab government to the Union government seeking an extension beyond November 30 for the continuation of the PSEB in existing form. Nor it made clear about the response of the Union government on the Punjab's government plea for extension. The commission had also asked whether the PSEB is likely to continue in its present form or there is possibility of change in its form? The PSEB today informed the commission that it would continue to work in existing form as combined entity. "We got a response from the PSEB today, but we have not discussed it”. There are other state electricity boards caught in legal vortex. "We will not take PSEB's tariff petition on record till the issue regarding its legal status is resolved,” said an officer. Facing a similar situation on the legal front, the Kerala government has taken over its state electricity board.
|
|
Families of martyrs face neglect
Chandigarh, January 28 Around 200 families of military personnel stand to gain through government jobs in case the government amends its honour and gratitude policy to cover all servicemen declared battle casualties pre-January 1, 1999. The policy till now covers post-January 1999 battle casualties only. It has been five months since Defence Services Welfare Minister Kanwaljit Singh announced that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had acceded to the demand of ex-servicemen to take all soldiers killed in action in anti-terrorist operations within the ambit of its honour and gratitude policy. Capt Kanwaljit had himself proposed the change following a representation from the affected families in April last year. He had proposed that the government go by the battle casualty enlisting done by the defence authorities while adjudging such cases. The Chief Minister’s approval came in August, 2008, post which the Department of Personnel asked the Defence Welfare Department to amend a certain notification. It was objected to by the affected families, which claimed this would not help them, but only result in a status quo. Gurnam Singh, a government servant at Patiala, told The Tribune that his sister-in-law Raj Kaur, whose husband Mohinder Singh had been killed in 1995 during Operation Rakshak, was anxiously waiting for the amendment to the policy, which would make her eligible for a government job. Similar is the case of Harjinder Kaur of Jai Jawan Colony in Patiala whose husband Lance Naik Raghbir Singh died in anti-insurgency operations in Assam in 1992. Harjinder says she has a grown-up son, who is yet to get a job, and another one who is studying in plus II. Patiala-based Notary Sukhwant Singh Ghumman, son of late Major Sukhdev Singh who was killed in action in 1979, claims the government’s policy is flawed not only because it is selective in its coverage, but also because it does not recognise bravery during peace time. While dependents of wartime gallantry award winners of Paramvir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra and Vir Chakra are eligible for government jobs, peacetime gallantry award winners who died fighting militancy were not eligible for the same. Sukhwant’s father had been awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said he would have to check on the status of the file with regard to the case. With the model code around the corner, it might be touch and go for the families, which definitely do not want to wait for another Republic Day to remind the nation of their plight.
|
|
Protecting Golden Temple from pollution
Amritsar, January 28 The data collected by the board reveals that every goldsmith and dhaba/hotel owner uses 15 kg to 25 kg coal or up to 50 litres of diesel/kerosene a day, depending upon the workload and availability of electricity. Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu instructed the environment engineer, PPCB, to take steps to stop burning of coal or diesel/petrol/kerosene in the city. The PPCB had found high levels of harmful nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide in the ambient air. Experts had also cautioned that fireworks release these gases which could react with marble leading to corrosion and blackening. Miniature paintings and gold plating were also under threat from harmful gases, experts added. The PPCB has recommended to the Punjab government to ban burning of fuel other than LPG in the walled city to save the Golden Temple. The Deputy Commissioner held a meeting with representatives of the Association of Goldsmiths who have agreed to switch over to LPG instead of coal. The DC asked District Food and Supplies Controller Anjuman Bhaskar to give LPG connections to goldsmiths on priority. A team headed by Dr RC Trivedi, additional-director, CPCB, visited the Golden Temple complex last year to free its surroundings free from pollutants on the pattern of the Taj Mahal. He had also favoured restriction on vehicles in 500-m- radius of Harmandar Sahib. The team had also suggested to use low-intensity crackers and fireworks during Gurpurbs or Bandi Chhor Diwas (Diwali). However, the Municipal Corporation’s decision to make surrounding the shrine a vehicle-free zone by introducing battery-operated buses to ferry pilgrims is still in the pipeline.
|
|
|
‘Sukhbir rise will lead to poll violence’
Chandigarh, January 28 Talking to the media at the installation of Ratna as president of the state mahila wing of the party, they said the trend of violence had started in the panchayat elections and that they feared this would be replicated in the parliamentary elections. They demanded that central forces should be deployed in Punjab during the elections. Both Kaypee and Bhattal asserted that the SAD had raked up the Anandpur Sahib resolution issue before the elections in an attempt to sway the sentiments of people. “The NDA has to see whether the resolution, which aims to break the country, will be adopted by the alliance,” Kaypee added. The PPCC president also demanded that a Vidhan Sabha committee be formed to suggest administrative reforms needed in the state and it had representatives of all political parties based on their strength. Meanwhile, Amritsar-based leader Ratna, claimed that she had not deposed against former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in the alleged Amritsar Improvement Trust land scam case.
|
|
12 Cong panchayats join SAD
Nabha, January 28 Meanwhile, Badal honoured members of 12 Congress panchayats that joined the SAD at the rally. Badal said he would cover all constituencies within the next 10 days as more than 70 constituencies had already been covered under the sangat darshans and vikas yatra. Announcing a grant of Rs 5 crore to municipal council and panchayats of the area, he said the government had planned all-round development of the state. However, he said, pending grants for setting up a bar complex and sewerage in the town would be released in the start of the next financial year. Terming former cabinet minister Raja Narinder Singh as one of his most trusted friends, Badal said he owed block samiti and municipal council victory to former’s grandson and Zila Parishad member Maninder Singh. Meanwhile, MLA of Nabha Randip Singh expressed displeasure for not given time to meet Badal during the rally.
|
|
Pak wall raises BSF hackles
Amritsar, January 28 The Indian delegation took up the wall issue along with certain other problems, including joint patrolling, repair and maintenance of pillars and smuggling, etc. The wall is being constructed alongside the international gate on the Pakistan side. Jagir Singh, DIG, BSF told The Tribune that the construction of wall was in its initial stages. The matter could be taken up at quarterly and biannual meetings of the two forces if it was not resolved amicably. However, he did not know about the outcome of the meeting, he added. Meanwhile, according to sources, the height of the wall would be more than six feet. However, the Pakistan authorities said they were constructing the wall only for decoration purposes.
|
|
Panel to launch drive to identify anaemic women
Chandigarh, January 28 Chairperson of the commission Gurdev Kaur Sangha said in a press conference on Tuesday that the commission would be going to the centre for funding its various schemes and projects. The chairperson along with Pushpinder Kaur and Kiranjot Kaur, both members of the commission, were addressing a press conference at the commission office in Sector 17 here. Ruing the thoughtlessness with which the office had been set up on the fourth floor making it inaccessible to old and pregnant women, the chairperson said she had written to the Punjab government to provide an office at a more accessible place in Chandigarh or Mohali. “It is very difficult for complainants to reach the office of the commission specially those who are old, pregnant and carrying children,” said Sangha. The commission members also pointed out that there was a need to understand the real problems that women in Punjab were facing.
|
|
Encroachments cleared in Nangal
Nangal, January 28 Owner of one of the kiosks said this had been done without serving any prior notices or intimation. Others added that pick and choose policy had been adopted, wherein relatives and friends of a few officials had been spared. The kiosks had been there for the past 30 years. Their owners demanded that the government should compensate them for the losses they had suffered. The drive was a part of anti-encroachment campaign launched by the administration to clear the entire area around the dam installation in view of its security. SDM Lakhmir Singh said for the announcements had been made two days ago to vacate the area before an action was initiated.
|
|
Sangrur to have Patwar Bhawans
Sangrur, January 28 This was stated by Punjab PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa while inaugurating a newly constructed building of the Patwar Bhawan here today. This building has been constructed at a cost of Rs 4.85 lakh, of which Rs 3 lakh has been given by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa from his MP Local Area Development fund.
— TNS
|
Gang Rape Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 28 On the other hand, the victim has not identified the person projected by the police as the accused in the case. Taking up the petition alleging implication filed by accused Lakhwinder Singh, Justice Mohinder Pal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed his release on bail. A case of rape and criminal conspiracy under Section 376 (2) (g) and 120-B of the IPC was registered in the matter at the Moga police station. Taking cognizance of the matter, the Moga Deputy Commissioner had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the offence. The inquiry was subsequently conducted by Moga Subdivisional Magistrate Lakhbir Singh. In it, the prosecutrix “identified” the police officers “as the perpetrators of crime”. In an affidavit filed before the court, Moga SSP Ashok Baath, meanwhile, stated petitioner Lakhwinder Singh’s test identification parade was conducted by Moga Naib Tehsildar Resham Singh. The prosecutrix did not identify the “petitioner as the person involved in the gang rape”. It was also stated in the reply that the DNA test report was awaited in the case. Taking up the matter, Justice Mohinder Pal asserted: “Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the controversy, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail, subject to his furnishing requisite bonds to the satisfaction of the Moga Chief Judicial Magistrate”. Before parting with the two-page order, Justice Mohinder Pal fixed February 10 as the next date of hearing in the case and gave counsel for the petitioner liberty to file rejoinders to the replies by the SSP and another police officer. Seeking the grant of bail, petitioner’s counsel Vipin Mahajan had earlier asserted Lakhwinder Singh “had been involved in the case to shield police officials” — Head Constable Paramjit Singh and Constable Balbir Singh —“who were involved in the crime”.
|
|
Compensation for kin; probe ordered
Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 28 An Additional Sessions Judge has also been asked to carryout an inquiry into the matter. The directions follow Swaranjeet Singh’s petition seeking probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the “custodial death” of his 25-year-old son Harinder Singh. Harinder Singh had died in “custody” in October 2006. Appearing on the petitioner’s behalf, his counsel Navdeep Chhabra had added the victim had died in Amritsar central jail, following torture and beating. Going into the background, the petitioner had alleged his son, lodged in Amritsar central jail for an offence under the Punjab Excise Act, was in “good health and sound physique” when he was produced before a magistrate on October 26, 2006. But the next day at about 5.22 pm, Harinder Singh was brought to civil hospital, where he was declared dead at 6.30 pm. In the postmortem report, external injuries on Harinder Singh’s body were observed by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Amritsar. Soon after this, Swaranjeet Singh brought to the fore his grievance through written communications to the Chairman of Punjab Human Rights Commission, the Chief Minister, central jail authorities and the high court. The letter to the high court was treated as criminal miscellaneous petition and an inquiry report was submitted by the Amritsar Sub Divisional Magistrate. The high court then passed a detailed order on the basis of the report, directing Amritsar SSP to register an FIR against the erring police officials and to conduct fair and proper investigation. The officer was also directed to file a status report after three months from receiving the order’s certified copy. Following the orders, an FIR dated July 13, 2007, under Section 302 of the IPC was registered at Sadar police station against the jail officials. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate returned the challan, filed later in the court, to the station house officer with serious remarks on the conduct of the investigating agency. Aggrieved by the way the investigation was taking its course, the petitioner filed a contempt petition and is “running from pillar to post for almost two years for justice, but he has neither been given any monetary compensation, nor proper investigation is being carried out,” counsel Navdeep Chhabra had concluded.
|
|
|
Court rejects bail plea of ex-sarpanch
Moga, January 28 Revealing this to The Tribune, KK Mittal, deputy district attorney, said the bail application of Harnek came up for hearing before the court of Additional Sessions Judge BS Sandhu who rejected the bail application. Harnek was arrested by the police on November 12, last year. He was presently under judicial custody. Harnek’s counsel said, “We will soon file a petition before the High Court seeking grant of bail after obtaining all relevant documents from the Sessions Court”. Harnek had admitted before the court that he had extra-marital relations with the victim with her consent and had neither abducted nor raped her as alleged by her.
|
|
Imposition of additional stamp duty challenged
Chandigarh, January 28 PSEB
recruitments
In a petition, challenge has been thrown to the Punjab State Electricity Board’s action of recruiting meter readers in Jalalabad without advertising the posts and specifying the eligibility criteria. Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Hemant Gupta issued notice of motion for February
5.
|
|||||
|
|
Puhla killers’ plan to flee jail foiled
Amritsar, January 28 All of them were lodged in same barracks. Preliminary investigations revealed that they were planning to flee from the jail. Navtej Singh and Harchand Singh, who had burned Baba Puhla to death in August, had the same SIM, which they had been using on their mobile at the time of Nihang chief’s killing. The police had got the number deactivated after the mobile was seized from them following Puhla’s killing. Third accused Amarjit Singh was involved in the bank robbery. Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, SSP, said the team was led by SP (D) Surjit Singh. He said a case under Sections 420, 224, 225 (R/w), 511 and 120-B of the IPC had been registered against the three accused. The police had specific information that they were planning to escape from the jail, he added.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
