Wednesday, July 15, 1998
|
P U N J A B | |
Wednesday, July 15, 1998 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
||
|
Cong
opposes inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar |
 |
 120 ginning mills closed down ABOHAR, July 14 — Due to the repeated failure of cotton crop, about 120 cotton ginning and pressing mills in Punjab have closed down... Ministerial staff observe strike BATHINDA, July 14 — Members of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union today observed a pen-down strike in protest against the downgrading of their pay scales by the state government... |
Govt dithers over Soch panel report AMRITSAR, July 14 — While the Punjab Government is dithering over the implementation of the recommendations of the Soch Committee which suggested about 15 per cent hike in government college funds/fees in view of strong reaction by the students unions ... State govt 'not ready' for extreme step PATIALA, July 14 — The Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today indicated that the Punjab Government was not ready to take any extreme step to force the Centre to exclude Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed Uttaranchal state... Needed scientific farm policies CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The tractor has transformed agriculture in Punjab. Mechanisation of farm operations has added to productivity. Contrary to the common belief, it has displaced human labour by a mere 5 per cent, whereas it has displaced bullock power by 60 per cent to 70 per cent... PHRO flays SAD policies AMRITSAR, July 14 — The Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) has condemned the policies of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)... HC admits plea to compensate Malta boat tragedy victims  |
|
120 ginning mills closed down From Chander Parkash Tribune News Service ABOHAR, July 14 — Due to the repeated failure of cotton crop, about 120 cotton ginning and pressing mills in Punjab have closed down. Sources said unable to find raw material for ginning and pressing, ginning mill owners closed their units in 1997-98 cotton season. The other reason for closing down the mills was that they were suffering heavy losses due to fluctuation in cotton price. According to cotton trade sources, out of a total 33 ginning and pressing mills in the Mansa mandi area, 20 mills had closed. In the Abohar mandi area, 10 mills had closed down out of a total 24. In the Kotkapura mandi area, 11 mills had closed down while in Muktsar out of 29 mills nine had stopped their operations. The sources said the cotton ginning and pressing mills falling in the Muktsar, Malout, Bariwala, Abohar and Fazilka mandi areas had closed down due to severe water-logging. Due to water-logging the production of cotton crop in the areas had virtually been nil. Apart from it, the state produced only seven lakh bales this year as against the target of 22 lakh bales. The requirement of the ginning and pressing mills located in Mansa, Bathinda, Muktsar, Faridkot, Sangrur, Ferozepore and Moga districts is about 40 lakh bales. As the prices of cotton were ruling high in the open market, the ginners found themselves helpless to run their units. Even certain ginning and pressing mill owners did not operate their units as they feared they would not earn enough to meet the over head expenses. Due to the closure of 120 ginning and pressing mills in Punjab, about 10,000 persons employed as skilled and unskilled workers in the mills had been rendered jobless. The cotton mill owners are not re-employing them for the next cotton season as they are not sure about their capacity to run their units in the coming season. Fed up with the repeated failure of cotton crop and keeping in view the large-scale plantation of paddy, certain mill owners in the cotton belt had started setting up rice shellers. Industrial sources said about 15 cotton ginning mills in the Malout, Muktsar, Kotkapura and Faridkot area were being converted into rice shellers following permission from the Punjab Pollution Control Board recently due to severe water-logging in this belt. Markfed which had seven cotton mills in these areas was also planning to convert about three mills into rice shellers. Mr Fateh Chand Sharma, vice-president, the Northern India Cotton Association Limited while talking to TNS said as the cotton production had hit the all time low, about 60 per cent of the cotton mills of Punjab had been closed. He added that in the next cotton season, more cotton mills faced closure. He said the state government should make concerted efforts to save the cotton crop in the coming season by supplying standard pesticides to the cotton growers so that enough raw cotton could be produced to run the cotton ginning and pressing mills in Punjab. He said with the loss of about 16 lakh bales of cotton in Punjab this season due to pest attack, water-logging and inclement weather, the economy of Punjab had been shattered and farmers had started switching over to paddy. Apart from the ginning and pressing mills, some Bombay-based traders had also closed their branch offices in the cotton belt as they could not transact any business due to the failure of cotton crop. Even the goods transporters, who were dealing exclusively in the transportation of cotton bales had started selling their trucks at the throwaway prices to pay the loan instalments of their financers. |
||||||
| Govt dithers over Soch panel report From Varinder Walia Tribune News Service AMRITSAR, July 14 — While the Punjab Government is dithering over the implementation of the recommendations of the Soch Committee which suggested about 15 per cent hike in government college funds/fees in view of strong reaction by the students unions, some eminent educationists have reportedly urged the Chief Minister to delegate the powers to the respective universities to hike such funds. This would give an impression that the funds or fees in the government colleges were hiked by the universities and not by the state government. However, the recommendations of the Soch Committee, constituted by the state government to suggest hike in the fund/fee structure of the colleges, under the chairmanship of Dr H.S. Soch, Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev university, are in the doldrums as they could not be implemented from the current academic session due to political considerations. Admissions in various colleges, affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University, have already started and the funds have been deposited as per the previous fee structure. The high powered committee under the chairmanship of Dr Soch was constituted in view of the pitiable financial condition of the government colleges. While the private colleges were charging handsome fees/funds from the students. The fee structure could not be revised in the government colleges for about 40 years. With a view to diverting the attention of various students unions about the 15 per cent hike in fees/funds the Punjab Government has constituted another panel to suggest ways and means for "rationalising" the fee structure in private colleges of the state. }The committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Dr Khem Singh Gill, a former Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University. Interestingly, the Soch Committee did not touch the issue of rationalising the fee structure of private colleges. Sources in the Education Department said the Khem Singh Gill Committee could not review the fee structure of the private colleges within three months as Dr Gill was not well versed with the problems of the degree colleges, affiliated to Punjab, GND University and Punjabi University as he remained Vice Chancellor of the agricultural university. Apart from this, the educationists have suggested to the Punjab Chief Minister to implement the recommendations of the Soch Committee as the financial condition of the government colleges in the state was in bad shape. While the number of private colleges is about 150, about 50 per cent private colleges were taken over by the state government in the past due to poor financial condition. The educationists have suggested that if the recommendations of the Soch Committee were not implemented, the government colleges would became economically inviable. New courses could not be introduced in government colleges due to resource crunch. On the other hand, some educationists have suggested the raising of funds for government colleges by creating permanent assests. They say shopping complexes on the college premises could be constructed on the pattern of Guru Nanak Dev University for raising funds. Surplus land of the colleges could be utilised for generating resources. |
||
| State govt 'not ready' for extreme
step Tribune News Service PATIALA, July 14 — The Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today indicated that the Punjab Government was not ready to take any extreme step to force the Centre to exclude Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed Uttaranchal state. Talking to reporters after inaugurating Isher Singh Memorial Gurmat Public School at Chaparh village, near here, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had already explained its position on the issue to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who had promised to look into it sympathetically. "The Political Affairs Committee of the SAD will meet after a decision has been taken on the matter to consider appropriate steps needed to be taken by the party", he said. When asked whether the SAD would start an agitation on the issue and, if need be, take any extreme step, the Finance Minister said such steps were not necessary in the present situation, adding there were other options before the party. When questioned about his reaction to SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra's statement that the party had lost face due to the BJP's reluctance in conceding its demand, he said this was not the case. He said there was unanimity in the party's view on the Uttaranchal issue and added that certain statements attributed to Mr Tohra regarding the starting of an agitation by him on the issue had been contradicted by him. The Finance Minister said the party had explained to the Centre that there were no constitutional or legal barriers involved in excluding Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed state. It had to be a political decision. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana had now written to the Prime Minister that the SAD demand had merit and should be considered. The Finance Minister said the manner in which the SAD had pursued its demand for the exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from Uttaranchal had proved its seriousness on the issue. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said it was being misinterpreted that the demand for the exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from Uttaranchal was solely an SAD demand. "This is not the case", he said adding other communities, including local settlers, were united on the issue. Therefore, it should be clear that any decision taken against the wishes of people would be a blow to the democratic spirit of the country. Asked about the status of the Bathinda refinery as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had urged the Prime Minister to sanction it at a function in Mandi Gobindgarh two days ago despite reports in a section of the Press that it had been sanctioned, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the project had been sanctioned. He said the Planning Commission had given its permission and the matter was now between the Indian Oil Corporation and Esso of the USA who were to jointly set it up. Later, the Finance Minister announced at a function that village-level committees would be constituted to monitor the construction and working of primary schools. Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board chairman and former legislator Jasdev Singh Sandhu urged that the government should take measures to protect villages ravaged by floods in Ghanaur and Dakala, besides constructing an ITI at Ghanaur. |
||
| BSP activists block traffic, protest against police inaction From Our Correspondent FEROZEPORE, July 14 — Activists of the Bahujan Samaj Party blocked vehicular traffic for more than two hours despite rain, by holding dharna at Shershah Wali round about on the GT Road, near the official residence of the SSP, here today. The dharna was staged against the alleged police "inaction" in arresting the culprit who had attacked the BSP state vice president, Mr Lal Singh Sulhani , during the panchayat poll at Jhoke Harihar village, near here. Addressing the dharna, various leaders demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack on Mr Sulhani and warned dharnas at all district headquarters, if their demand was not met. Among others, the dharna was addressed by the BSP's state president, Mr C.D Singh Kamboj, state secretary of the CPI, Mr Joginder Dayal, the district general-secretary of AITUC, Comrade Sewa Singh Purba, BSP leader, Mukhtiar Singh and ex-MP, Mohan Singh Phallianwala. Earlier, talking to the medi- apersons, Mr Joginder Dayal and Mr Kamboj asked the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal to withdraw his party's support to the BSP-led coalition at the Centre on July 31, the martyrdom day of Sardar Udham Singh, in protest against the Centre's inability to exclude Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed Uttranchal state. They said the SAD should end its alliance with the BJP in Punjab, if Mr Badal was sincere towards the people of Punjab. This would be a real tribute to Udham Singh, they added. Criticising the SAD-BJP government, they alleged that excesses against women and Dalits had increased against which the BSP, the CPI and the CPM had been struggling. But, the Badal government wanted to silence the voice of the Opposition. Leaders belonging to the Opposition were allegedly being beaten up at the instance of SAD-BJP leaders. The law and order situation had deteriorated and fake police cases were being registered due to political vindictiveness they alleged. They demanded that all moodier cases of police excesses should be probed by the CBI as people had lost faith in the Punjab police. Dr Joginder Dayal regretted that even after fifty years of Independence, the government had failed to find any permanent solution to floods which caused havoc every year in the state. He said the majority of the suicides by farmers had taken place in Mansa, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala districts because farmers had suffered heavy financial losses due to floods in Ghagger river. He said bungling of crores of rupees was being done every year under the garb of flood protection works. He said, the government was paying no attention towards the demand that all rivers in Punjab especially the Sutlej along the Indo-Pak border, should be channelised to find permanent solution to floods. Regarding the recent visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to Punjab, Mr Dayal said it was regretted that he remained silent on the oil refinery issue. This indicated that Mr Badal had failed to get any of the long-pending demands accepted by Mr Vajpayee. |
||
| Cong opposes inclusion of Udham Singh
Nagar Tribune News Service AMRITSAR, July 14 — The new PPCC President, Capt Amarinder Singh, today said that his party was opposed to the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state. Addressing a press conference here after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir, he disclosed that the party chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, had sought his opinion on the issue. He had sent a report through Ms Meira Kumar, opposing the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal. He would go to Delhi tomorrow and call on Mrs Sonia Gandhi to discuss the matter with her. Replying to a question, he alleged that SAD leaders had been expressing contradictory views on the issue. About his priorities, he said that he would nominate office-bearers and executive of the PCC in consultation with senior leaders in order to strengthen the party. All district units would be strengthened. Alleging that the SAD-BJP government had failed on all fronts, he said the state Congress would highlight the issues of the deteriorating law and order situation, the enhancement of the bus fare and suicides of farmers. He alleged that large-scale irregularities were committed in the panchayat poll. Replying to another question, he said that the PPCC would celebrate the tricentenary of the birth of the Khalsa next year. A subcommittee was being constituted for the purpose. On his arrival here, he was given a warm welcome by party leaders and workers. |
||
| Collecting ads with minister's
"help" Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH, July 14 — A recommendation letter by the Punjab Minister of State of Elections and Industry to a private organisation to raise money through advertisements to publish a "business-cum-art (films) directory" has put the Mohali Industries Association on alert. It all started with the Minister, Mr Sucha Singh Langah, issuing a letter saying that Ms S. Dhillon, head of K.K. International Cultural Troupe", Mumbai, was publishing a 1998 directory containing information about great film personalities and business (industrial) concerns. "Please help her to the maximum in her noble endeavour". This letter was signed on June 23 and bears the number PS/SMEI/98/84/11. So upset is the association over the manner in which the said firm is trying to extort money and threaten those not paying up for the proposed directory that now a general written word of
caution has been circulated to the members forewarning
them not to succumb to any pressures of the said
organisation. In fact one of the members, with whom Ms
Dhillon and an accomplice allegedly "misbehaved and
abused", has lodged a formal complaint with the
police station, Mohali. This was on July 9.The association president, Mr Rupinder Sachdeva, in a circular refers to the verification of the credentials of the organisation done by it, including through the Minister's office and other sources. "It has been found the organisation is using the office of the ministers. It has also given only the fax number of a commercial operator in Sector 35 here. Interestingly, the address on the letterhead of K.K. International Cultural Troupe is one in Mumbai (B.R. House, B.R. Dubbing theatre, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai-52. However, the fax number printed on the letter head is of Chandigarh: 0172-600531. When TNS contacted this number it turned out to be only a fax number. Later, it was found that the fax was installed in a commercial communication organisation. Its business manager, Ms Renu, when contacted, confirmed that once or twice some messages in the name of K.K. International were received and duly collected by someone. But the office records do not show any local address or contact number etc. Now of its own the communication firm proposes to initiate action since its fax number was printed in an unauthorised manner by the troupe. The long letter of the troupe seeks advertisements for the directory to be published in 1998. It is to have 500 pages in "coloured form" (sic). It is signed by S. Dhillon and one Jaswinder Singh (Organising Secretary). The rates of tariff mentioned by the troupe range from Rs 21,000 (minimum) to Rs 51,000 (maximum). Interestingly, these two letters of the troupe bear the same number as the despatch number of the Minister's letter of recommendation. |
||
| Ministerial staff observe strike From Tribune Reporters BATHINDA, July 14 — Members of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union today observed a pen-down strike in protest against the downgrading of their pay scales by the state government. In a press note issued here, Mr Darshan Singh Bajaj, chairman of the union said the state government had done injustice to the ministerial staff by downgrading the pay scales which were issued according to the conversion table. He said that apart from it, the clerical staff had not been given time bound promotion pay scales after 4, 9 and 14 years' service. The protesters also held a rally which was addressed by the district president, Mr Gursewak Singh and Mr Sukhwinder Singh, general secretary. PATIALA: Members of the ministerial staff observed a pen-down strike here in response to a call given by the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, "The state unit president, Mr Raj Kumar Arora said in a statement here that the strike was complete. Mr Arora said that the Punjab Government had reached an agreement with the union on December 31 that the pay scales of the ministerial staff would be modified. The union leader said if their demands were not accepted, the strike would be intensified. HOSHIARPUR: Members of the ministerial staff observed a stike here in response to a call given by the Punjab Ministerial Services Union. SANGRUR: Members of the ministerial staff observed a pen-down strike and held rallies here on Tuesday. |
||
| Needed scientific farm policies By P.P.S. Gill Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The tractor has transformed agriculture in Punjab. Mechanisation of farm operations has added to productivity. Contrary to the common belief, it has displaced human labour by a mere 5 per cent, whereas it has displaced bullock power by 60 per cent to 70 per cent. In fact the use of tractor which ushered in mechanisation, has increased the involvement of human labour and employment in the agro-industrial combination. It is, therefore, time to draw a lesson or two from past experience of deployment of tractors for agriculture. According to Dr A.S. Kahlon, a former Chairman of the Agricultural Prices Commission and also of the task force on "terms and trade", constituted by New Delhi. His reports form the basis of the present scene in Punjab, where the use of tractor has come to stay. Dr Kahlon's apprehension is that certain distortions can rise in the mechanisation of agriculture if firm and scientific farm policies are not framed. His own study of the subject, while preparing a report for the World Bank showed there was "no definite relationship" between the size of the farm and the horse power of the tractor. The mismatch was glaring. This led to higher costs and less profits. Why use a 25 H.p. engine when a mere 5 H.p. engine will do to draw water? Dr Kahlon believes one can produce small but not market small because of heavy transportation cost. Hence the need for mechanisation of pre and post-harvest operations and mechanical handling of produce in regulated markets. Technology has to be developed for that. For instance, he says, 30 per cent of the fresh horticultural produce was lost due to poor post-harvest infrastructure, relating to say packaging and preserving in cold stores. Punjab may be proud of the fact that the available H.p. per hectare was 4.20 as against the optimum required 2.16 H.p., but why not make optimum use of what is available? One disquietening feature of mechanisation is that agriculture has become capital intensive. The cost of production per unit area may have been reduced but it has resulted in over-capitalisation of farm assets: farm machinery in particular, including equipment, to undo this, there has to be an "integrated system" of irrigation, farm machinery, fertiliser application and other farm inputs. For further growth and given the advocacy of "diversification" production cost will be higher, making agriculture more capital intensive. Dr Kahlon wants all-out efforts to manufacture high quality farm equipment and machinery so that tractor use became more efficient. Against the required 1000 hours for ideal tractor use, the current rate was 400 to 450 hours. Tractor-pulled machinery like seeders, levellers, inter-culture equipment must have a high degree of precision. The use of tractor has brought in more hired labour, changing the face of farm operations. With the green revolution having reached a plateau and the cost of new tractors sky-rocketing, it is time that second-hand tractors got attention. Farmers show hesitancy to buy new tractors with which machinery and equipment is thrust on them. Punjab, of late, holds tractors-bazars in several towns. Farmers are keen on equipment as well. Here Dr Kahlon warns that ill-matched prime mover machinery can lead to excessive expenditure simply because machinery and energy cost account for a substantial part of the production cost". Punjab must ensure that "farm management economics" were consistent with investment. Those who talk of dairying, for example, must also think of introducing under machines for milking. Custom hiring of tractors and equipment will benefit small farmers. There has to be a system for the development of low cost small tractors, development of high clearance tractors, especially for cotton and sugarcane, development of self-propelled paddy transplanters and cotton pickets etc. Finally, Dr Kahlon says that over the recent years profitability of tractor holdings has declined owing to a steep rise in price of farm machinery and tractor fuels and lubricants. Farmers have to be helped to purchase tractors and matching equipments for optimum use and profit and converting different sources of power into something beneficial to biological plant. Mechanisation is a great landmark in agriculture, which has to be recognised and expanded. |
||
| HC admits plea to compensate Malta boat tragedy victims CHANDIGARH, July 14 (PTI) — Malta boat tragedy sufferers today filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a high-level judicial probe into the tragedy and a compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the tragedy. A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Amarjeet Chaudhary and Mr Justice S.C. Malte admitted the petition filed by former president of the state Janata Dal Balwant Singh Khera, alleging that CBI has not come to any logical conclusion even after 18 months of investigation. The association sought appointment of a high-level enquiry committee headed by a high court judge to investigate the tragedy. The sufferers of the tragedy had not been able to receive adequate compensation as was announced by the then President S.D. Sharma immediately after the tragedy, it said. The Malta boat tragedy occurred on december 25, 1996, following the sinking of the boat near the island of Malta in which more than 300 people drowned, of which 175 belonged to Punjab. PHRO flays SAD policies |
||
 |
 |
|
 |
| Nation
| Punjab | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | Chandigarh | | Editorial | Opinion | Business | Stocks | Sports | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | Email | |
