The

P U N J A B

Monday, July 13, 1998

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Capt Amarinder Singh being congratulated by Mr Rajesh Pilot with 'ladoos' at Punjab Congress Bhavan, Chandigarh, on Sunday.

Cong shifts stand on Udham Singh Nagar

CHANDIGARH, July 12 — There is a discernible shift in the Congress stand on the future of Udham Singh Nagar district, whether it goes to the new hill state, Uttaranchal, or remains part of the parent state, Uttar Pradesh...

CM will decide on agitation: Tohra
PATIALA, July 12 — Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Gurcharan Singh Tohra today said he would launch an agitation for exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed Uttaranchal state...
Seed farm boon for farmers
FARIDKOT: The Raja Harinder Singh Seed Farm at Bir Sikhan Wala village, 7 km from here, has proved to be a boon for the farmers by meeting their demands, particularly for cotton and wheat...

CM reviews flood control steps
CHANDIGARH, July 12 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today reviewed the flood preparedness in the state with officers concerned. He reviewed in particular the position regarding the continuous supervision and survilance of the vulnerable points in the state...
Kidnapped boy rescued, 5 held
AMRITSAR, July 12 — The police has solved the kidnapping case of 13-year-old Rajinder Singh of Daud village with the arrest of five persons...
Fire in thermal plant transformer
ROPAR, July 12 — A fire in the unit auxiliary transformer (UAT) of unit No 4 of the local thermal plant yesterday forced its closure and some problem in FD fan unit No 3 resulted in tripping...
ISI at it again
TARN TARAN, July 12 — The ISI has launched a move to revive terrorism especially in this border belt by introducing the youths to smack and heroin...
Prices of intravenous fluids to be regulated
BATHINDA, July 12 — The Punjab Chemists Association today claimed that the Union Ministry of Chemical and Fertiliser had agreed in principal to bring the intravenous fluids under drug price control...
Two arrested for abducting girl
ABOHAR, July 12 — The police has recovered a girl from Ferozabad (UP) and arrested two youths who had allegedly abducted her from Dhaani Bisheshar Nath village...
Couple killed in road accident
KHARAR, July 12 — Mr Hukam Singh and his wife were killed while two of his family members were seriously injured in a road accident near Bhagomajra village on the Kharar-Morinda road yesterday...

Congress shifts stand on
Udham Singh Nagar
Amarinder takes over as PPCC chief
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 12 — There is a discernible shift in the Congress stand on the future of Udham Singh Nagar district, whether it goes to the new hill state, Uttaranchal, or remains part of the parent state, Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, the Congress had announced that it will support the Bill in Parliament on the creation of new states as already announced by the BJP government.
But from what the AICC General Secretary, Mrs Meira Kumar, said today it was clear that the Congress was still vacillating on the issue, either due to political compulsions or internal party contradictions. Mrs Kumar told newsmen that in deference to the wishes of the people of the district (Udham Singh Nagar and also the people of Punjab, the Congress party would now take an appropriate decision.
"The view of the majority cannot be brushed aside. The aspirations of the people, both in Udham Singh Nagar and Punjab, have considerable support. Due weightage will be given to the same. "It is a new development, which will be considered seriously by the Congress", she stated.
The new President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Amarinder Singh, who formally took over today from Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, added that the "sympathy" of the people of Punjab and that of the PPCC was with the Udham Singh Nagar people. "We will shortly meet the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi".
Mrs Meira Kumar even went a step ahead. "The Akalis should withdraw support to the BJP government on the Udham Singh Nagar issue since the issue to them was both "sentimental and serious". But to a question addressed to Mr Amarinder Singh as to which of the Punjab political leaders, both Congress and Akalis included, owned large tracts of land there, he refused to name anyone. "At least I do not have land there", he clarified.
Mr Rajesh Pilot, who had also come for the formal taking over of Mr Amarinder Singh as PPCC President, remarked: "Why had the Akalis remained silent when the Bill was under consideration and preparation?"
Earlier in the day, undeterred by rain, followed by humidity, thousands of Congressmen, from political heavy weights to ordinary workers, descended on Congress Bhavan in Sector 15. Crowds of Congressmen jostled to get close to the leaders who matter in the party affairs, both at the state and AICC levels.
The original plan to have a function in the open was abandoned due to heavy rain and the venue was shifted to a hall upstairs. The overcrowded ramp and the cramped space made the Bhavan smell of sweat. Despite the wet clothes clinging to their bodies, the leaders and commoners rubbed shoulders, hugged and shook hands. The occasion, in short, was like a homecoming for the Congressmen, who have been religiously collecting here every time a new PPCC President was appointed, only to disperse disappointed with a forlorn ray of hope.
There has been a rapid change of PPCC presidents since the assassination of Beant Singh in August, 1995, who had held the twin offices of the Chief Minister and PPCC President. Things have not been the same for the Congress. The successive Chief Ministers, first Mr Harcharan Singh Brar and later Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, were not given the dual responsibility. For successive political debacles of the Congress in a string of elections blame was apportioned and a new PPCC President appointed. None of them was able to constitute the PPCC's organisational wings. For the dithering and delay over that, the sole responsibility lay with the AICC.

When Mr Amarinder Singh was asked how soon will he be able to give shape to the organisational wing — party's weakest wing marred by horizontal and vertical divisions arising out of allegiance to individuals in the hierarchy, both in Chandigarh and New Delhi — he said he had the full support of the AICC working committee. "Ask me this question after one month", he said.
The confusion and chaos at today's gathering, first at Congress Bhavan and later at the residence of former Chief Minister Mrs Bhattal, who is also leader of the Congress Legislature Party as well as leader of the Opposition, was pronounced. Soon after the installation, Mr Amarinder Singh drove to Mrs Bhattal's residence for lunch and a press conference. The power failure at Mrs Bhattal's residence added to the woes of the Congressmen.
Mr Amarinder Singh said his first task was to consolidate the party and then concentrate on key issues regarding state's economy, agriculture and industry. He was vague when asked if he would meet the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, with certain issues.
Mrs Meira Kumar said in the absence of MPs from Punjab, issues related to the Centre would be taken up with the Punjab Governor.

Mr Rajesh Pilot, who did most of the talking initially, expressed concern over the plight of farmers who have been committing "suicide" in several agriculturally prosperous states, which in itself was a worrisome development. The SAD, which claims to champion the cause of peasantry, must set up a committee to go into the factors responsible for such "suicides". Moreover, there had to be a moratorium on the recovery of cooperative loans etc and a new credit policy framed. In fact, investment in agriculture even from the government side had been dwindling over the years. Against 15 per cent in 1950, it had come down to barely 5.6 per cent at present. The mismatch between input and output had to be removed, he added.
Giving the whole issue a political twist, he said the Akalis conveniently forgot all contentious issues which they harping on when out of power. "Let them sort out those now". At this Mr Amarinder Singh lent his voice to the issues spoken about by Mr Pilot. "The Akalis should either give up or fight it out to ensure socio-economic, agricultural and industrial development", the two Congress leaders said.
The pro-farmer Akalis must raise voice on the "kisan card" issue and get the Centre pass a directive to nationalised banks to give credit to farmers holding the card, which mentioned their land holding, its value and credit-cash limit, he said.
Among prominent Congressmen present for the installation, besides Mr Brar and Mrs Bhattal and several former Punjab ministers, were Mrs Ambika Soni, Mr Mukul Vasnik, Mr Raghunandnan Lal Bhatia, Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder, Mr Santokh Singh Randhawa.

CM will decide on agitation: Tohra
Tribune News Service
PATIALA, July 12 — Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Gurcharan Singh Tohra today refuted a statement attributed to him saying he would launch an agitation for exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed Uttaranchal state.

Mr Tohra said the words had been put in his mouth. "What I had said was that we have launched many agitations but have not gained much from them."
He said the decision to launch an agitation on the issue had to be taken by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the party". I alone cannot take the decision", he added. He said Mr Badal had said several times that the problem would be solved and it was up to him to take up this "genuine" demand with the BJP top leadership and ensure an end to the "discrimination" perpetrated on the Sikh community by the Congress.

Take firm stand: Dal(A)
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, July 12 — The Akali Dal (Amritsar) general secretary; Bhai Ram Singh, has urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to take a clear and firm stand on the exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed Uttaranchal state.
In a statement, he said here today that Mr Badal had so far failed to impress upon the Vajpayee government the need to retain this district in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Badal should have served a date-bound ultimatum to the Union Government on this sensitive issue.

Reacting to a statement made by MP Illa Pant on the issue, he said when the state re-organisation commission was set up, the people had been assured that the language, culture and customs of the people of a region would be given due consideration while reorganisation of new states. He said in the case of division of the erstwhile Punjab, this had been the reason why the hilly area was carved into a new state of Himachal Pradesh, adding that in the case of Udham Singh Nagar also the language, culture and customs of the people of the district were different from those of the hills.
Mr Tohra said it was wrong on the part of the BJP leadership to say that the demand of the Akali Dal to exclude Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed district had been sprung on them. He said a delegation of ministers had met both Mr Mulayam Singh and Ms Mayawati when they were Chief Ministers and representations had also been sent to the top BJP leadership when it took over the reins of the country.
When asked about the locus standi of the demand to exclude the district from the proposed new state when both the area MP and the concerned legislator were in favour of the district going to the new state, he said: "It is our misfortune that they are doing so after having won on our support".
He said he along with other Punjab ministers had campaigned in Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital parliamentary constituency to ensure victory of BJP candidates against Congress nominees. "Now if they turn against our wishes it is not important as the people of the area are united on the issue", he added.

Seed farm boon for farmers
From Romesh Gupta
FARIDKOT: The Raja Harinder Singh Seed Farm at Bir Sikhan Wala village, 7 km from here, has proved to be a boon for the farmers of Punjab by meeting their demands, particularly for cotton and wheat seed. As many as 95 per cent of the cotton seed varieties, like F-846, F-137 and F-505 besides desi cotton seed variety LD-327, are being developed through modern techniques at this farm. Similarly 75 per cent of various varieties of wheat seed, including PBW-347, 138, 373, 299 and 396, are also being generated at this farm for being supplied to agriculturists.
A record 50,000 quintals and 10,000 quintals of wheat and cotton seed, respectively, have been supplied to agriculturists through two state government agencies — the Punjab Seeds Corporation and the National Seeds Corporation — at rates 25 per cent cheaper as compared to the market price during the past six years. The farmers who have personally been visiting farm to procure the seeds also being advised about the latest techniques for enhancing productivity.
According to Dr Joginder Singh Brar, seed production expert and in charge of the farm, 5 kg of cotton seed and 40 kg of wheat seed sown on an acre yield 6 quintals of cotton crop and 18 to 19 quintals of wheat crop, respectively, under normal conditions. A 500 acre area in the farm under cotton cultivation has been divided into 20 blocks for better yield and the same measures have been taken regarding wheat seed. The entire area is being cultivated by using the latest techniques. An 80 HP Holland tractor, brought under the Rural Development Scheme from Italy, is being used spraying insecticides properly.
The farm also produces sugarcane varieties COJ-64 and COJ-84, which are directly supplied to sugar mills to meet the demand of sugarcane growers. A moong seed variety besides hybrid makka sartaj and J-1006 makka fodder seed is also developed here. Efforts are afoot to get new varieties of paddy seeds PR-106 and PR-111 at the farm to increase the productivity of crop during the next season.
The farm has reportedly earned a profit of Rs 4 crore from the sale of seeds during the past six years. Dr K.S. Aulakh, Director of the Research Station here, estimates that 12000 quintals of wheat seed and 2000 quintal of cotton seed is likely to be delivered to farmers in the next season at subsidised rates. The farm, established on a 1220 acre area in 1991 by Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, has made a significant contribution by not only fulfilling the needs of agriculturists in the state but also supplying seeds to the farmers of Haryana and Rajasthan. The land for the farm was procured from the local Maharawal Khewaji Trust at a cost of Rs 1000 per acre on a least for 30 years. Steps are under way to acquire more land from the trust to produce seeds of other crops.
However, despite all these achievements, the farm still needs to acquire post-harvesting technology, necessary grading plants and better storage facility.

CM reviews flood control steps
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 12 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today reviewed the flood preparedness in the state with officers concerned. He reviewed in particular the position regarding the continuous supervision and survilance of the vulnerable points in the state, contingency plans for making provisions of essential commodities like medicine, transport, equipment like boats, food and trained men (doctors, engineers) to meet any exigency.
The Deputy Commissioner explained the state of preparedness.
The Chief Minister directed all Deputy Commissioners, administrative secretaries and district heads that up to September 15 no officer should go on leave. No one would leave the headquarter without the prior approval of the Deputy Commissioner concerned.
The Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Power, Mr Bikramjit Singh, informed that from April to June 30, an amount of Rs 25 crore has been spent to complete necessary flood protection works.
The Chief Minister requested the Army authorities to be in readiness to render any assistance to the civil authorities in case the situation so arose.
He gave special instructions to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, and the Army authorities there to take up protection work on the Ravi at Rania. The Financial Commissioner, Revenue, was directed to transfer Rs 30 lakh for this.

Kidnapped boy rescued, 5 held
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, July 12 — The police has solved the kidnapping case of 13-year-old Rajinder Singh of Daud village with the arrest of five persons.
Stating this at a press conference, the IGP (Border), Mr J.P Birdi, said the boy was kidnapped from Bhilaipur village July 8, on his way to school by two scooter-borne persons, who wanted Rs 15 lakh as ransom.
The boy has been rescued and all five suspects in the case have been arrested.
The scooter used in the crime and taken away at gun point from Ranjit Singh of Talwandi Maluwal has been recovered. "Two country-made pistols and seven cartridges have been seized from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Harwant Singh of Daud, Jagir Singh and Balkar Singh, both residents of Dashmesh Nagar (Jandiala), Tarsem Singh of Sadhupur and Mangal Singh of Bulara. Cases have been registered under Sections 382 and 34, IPC.

Fire in thermal plant transformer
From Our Correspondent
ROPAR, July 12 — A fire in the unit auxiliary transformer (UAT) of unit No 4 of the local thermal plant yesterday forced its closure and some problem in FD fan unit No 3 resulted in tripping.
According to Mr S.P. Goyal, Chief Engineer, here today, at about 6 p.m. yesterday then all units of the plant were running at full load, an internal fault developed in one of the two unit auxiliary transformers of the unit No 4 which resulted in pressurisation of gas in its tank, leading to leakage of very hot oil which caught fire on coming into contact with atmospheric air. He claimed that the fire was extinguished within five minutes.
Mr Goyal further disclosed that at the same time, there was a fire in the incoming 6.5 kv breaker panel of this UAT-4A and this fire was also controlled within 10 minutes. He said the defective UAT-4A and its breaker panel were isolated and after carrying out some repairs, unit No 4 was synchronised early today.
The Chief Engineer also stated that the unit No 3 which also tripped almost at the same time due to problems in its FD fan was synchronised yesterday itself.
Mr Goyal said that at present all six units of the plant were running, but the load on these units had been reduced to 180 MW due to lower power demand owing to widespread heavy rain in the region.

ISI at it again
From Our Correspondent
TARN TARAN, July 12 — The ISI has launched a move to revive terrorism especially in this border belt by introducing the youths to smack and heroin.
Sources told this correspondent here today that youths in the 16-30 age groups were the vain target of the ISI. The sources said the ISI while sending packets of smack and heroin to India sends arm and ammunition through these people.
The local police has registered cases under section NDPs in police stations Tarn Taran, Valtoha, Sarhali, Goindwal Sahiv, and Bhikhiwind in the past three months and about 1 kg of heroin and smack had been recovered from the accused.
The way the drug mafia is spreading its tentacles in the area shows that the ISI is again trying to revive militancy in Punjab through this area.

Prices of intravenous fluids to be regulated
Tribune News Service
BATHINDA, July 12 — The Punjab Chemists Association today claimed that the Union Ministry of Chemical and Fertiliser had agreed in principal to bring the intravenous fluids under drug price control.
In a press note issued here, Mr R.D. Gupta, honorary secretary of the association, said on the persistent demands of the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), Union Chemical and Fertiliser minister, S.S. Barnala had asked the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to regulate the price of intravenous fluids.
He said a notification to this effect would be issued shortly following which intravenous fluids would be available at cheaper price.

Two arrested for abducting girl
From Our Correspondent
ABOHAR, July 12 — The police has recovered a girl from Ferozabad (UP) and arrested two youths who had allegedly abducted her from Dhaani Bisheshar Nath village.
The accused have been identified as Sanjiv and Subhash Chander of the same village.
Mr Jagtar Singh, father of the girl, informed the police on June 20, that his daughter had been abducted.
Another suspect in the case, to avoid police action, against him, started looking for the girl.
On his visit to Ferozabad, his sister told him that Sanjiv had introduced the girl as his wife and that they were living in a rented room.
The police was informed and the suspects taken into custody.
The girl alleged that she was raped by the accused.

Couple killed in road accident
From Our Correspondent
KHARAR, July 12 — Mr Hukam Singh and his wife were killed while two of his family members were seriously injured in a road accident near Bhagomajra village on the Kharar-Morinda road yesterday.
According to the police the incident occurred when their car was struck by a Tata 407. Hukam Singh died on the spot while his wife was brought to Civil Hospital here where she was declared dead.
The injured Mr Prince and his wife were rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh.
The Kharar police has registered a case under Section 279, 338, 304 A of the IPC against Karam Singh driver of Tata 407 who has absconded.