Congress will go it alone: Amarinder
CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, said here today that his party would prefer to go it alone in the coming mid-term elections in the state.

Cotton sowing: Farmers face scarcity of certified seed
BATHINDA, April 28 — In the absence of sufficient stock of certified seed available with the Agriculture Department and the Punjab Seed Corporation, the farmers have started sowing uncertified seed of cotton and sowing season started from April 15.

Lifting of wheat stocks affected
TARN TARAN (Amritsar), April 28 — The tussle between two leading government purchase agencies has hampered the movement of wheat stocks from the Chola Sahib sub-yard purchase centre to this sub-divisional town, causing problems to farmers of about 30 odd villages situated close to the Beas.

Punjab to raise memorials to cops
FARIDKOT, April 28 — The Punjab Government has decided to raise memorials at every district headquarters in the memory of those police officials who sacrificed their lives while fighting militancy during the past decade ago in the state. This was stated by Mr R.S. Gill, Inspector-General of Police, Patiala zone, after unveiling the bust of late DSP, H.S. Gill at the local Police Lines today.

Seven injured in group clash
JALANDHAR, April 28 — Seven persons were injured today in a quarrel between two rival groups on the premises of the Civil Hospital at Sultanpur Lodhi over a disputed land comprising 27 kanals, the police said.

550 jhuggi-dwellers relocated
JALANDHAR, April 28 — The Punjab Urban Development Authority has, with the help of the local administration, taken possession of 6.71 acres of prime land by relocating 550 jhuggi-dwellers near a milk plant on the Amritsar road.

AISSF ‘not to rejoin’ SAD
AMRITSAR, April 28 — The All-India Sikh Students Federation has ruled out rejoining the Shiromani Akali Dal in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll, but will forge a third front in Punjab to defeat the SAD as well as the Congress.

Two colleges disaffiliated
PATIALA, April 28 — The future of 74 students of Guru Tegh Bahudur Homoeopathic College and Budha Dal Girls College here hangs in the balance as Punjabi University has decided to disaffiliate the two educational institutions for not conforming to norms and rules set by the university.

• Three booked in rape case
• Govt employees hold rally
• 2 killed in bus-car collision
• Two held for forgery
• Garbage dump to be shifted
• PUTA faction opposes call

• League to field ‘upright’ candidates
• VC sets up new planning board, committees
• Ludhiana-Delhi trial flight
• GND varsity starts coaching classes
• Youth Cong rally
• Retired civic staff demand pension

Sodhi’s charges
Badal to meet BJP leaders
by Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, is deeply hurt at the accusations which the Punjab BJP unit president, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, has hurled at him. Mr Badal, who leads the Akali Dal and is a staunch supporter of the BJP, now plans to meet central BJP leaders and lodge a formal protest.

Mr Sodhi, a former Lok Sabha member from Amritsar, who has never spared Mr Badal or his government, has alleged that during auctions for the liquor vends certain unscrupulous elements with the blessings of the people close to Mr Badal had directed the auctions in favour of certain contractors. This way they deprived the state exchequer of Rs 50 crore. He has also named certain close relatives of Mr Badal.

Mr Sodhi had earlier opposed the hike in power rates and forced the government to scale down the rates from 33 per cent to 16 per cent. Later he opposed some taxes and saw these rolled back.

Mr Badal today denied these allegations. He called the charges as a “figment of imagination of some leaders whose wishes were not guaranteed.” He said auctions fetched more money this time. “I might have brought this to the notice of senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani earlier. But we were involved in much larger issues and did not wish to bring this petty charge to their notice”.

Mr Badal told TNS that he had not received any complaint in writing from Mr Sodhi nor has he spoken about this to him. He has like others seen some press reports quoting Mr Sodhi make allegations. He said basically he was not bothered about the false allegations as the people ultimately know the truth. “It is part of public life to hear such false allegations”, he quipped.

This year the Punjab and Haryana High Court was seized of the issue of liquor auctions in Ludhiana and Faridkot. There were serious allegations. A division bench consisting of Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K Aggarwal had ordered reauction of liquor vends in Faridkot, the home district of the Chief Minister. The aggrieved party had offered Rs 12 crore against Rs 10.40 crore which the auction bid had settled.

In a curious turn, the government closed the vends of the petitioners. This hampered their participation in the second bid. The vends were opened under a high court order.

The judgement in case of Ludhiana vends is yet to be pronounced. The petitioners two days ago offered Rs 40 crore against Rs 32.70 crore which the government auction netted. The verdict is expected anytime.

Mr Sodhi is not alone in levelling these allegations. An Akali leader and a former SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and the state Congress President, Mr Amarinder Singh, had also voiced their concern and made similar charges against Mr Badal.

Gujral may change seat
From A.S. Prashar and
Jasmine Sandhu Sandhawalia
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, April 28 — A change in the attitude of his principal backers in Punjab may force the former Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, to change his constituency once again in the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.

In the 1998 poll, Mr Gujral was elected from the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency on the Janata Dal ticket, but his main backers were the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal and its coalition partner, the BJP, since Jalandhar is a predominantly urban seat.

The BJP has a considerable following in Jalandhar city. The Janata Dal does not count much in Punjab. But this time, Mr Gujral may find that while the Akalis remain kindly disposed towards him, the BJP has turned hostile. As a matter of fact, the BJP rank and file is highly incensed over the role he played during the vote of confidence sought by the Vajpayee government earlier this month. They say that although Mr Gujral owed his victory in no small measure to the support he received from the BJP cadres during the elections, he thought nothing of voting against the BJP government in the Lok Sabha. Since the Vajpayee government was brought down by just one vote, Mr Gujral's vote might have made all the difference, it is pointed out. Therefore, they say, they are just waiting for a chance to get even with Mr Gujral in Jalandhar.

The situation as regards the Akalis, too, has undergone a change during the past one year. Mr Badal and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra have fallen apart. In the coming elections, the attempt of the Tohra group will be to queer the pitch for the candidates supported by the Badal faction in every constituency. Therefore, Mr Gujral may find that even the Akali support is not as solid as it was in the last elections when he romped home from Jalandhar by a margin of 1,31,016 votes.

Mr Gujral represented the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency in 1997 when he was elected as Independent. Later, he shifted to Bihar from where he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, observers here say that Mr Gujral may opt for a seat in the Upper House.

There are reports that the Akali Dal supremo, Mr Badal, may be willing to accommodate Mr Gujral in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. The Akalis believe that Mr Gujral has done so much for Punjab during his prime ministership that the Akali Dal should be willing to do everything possible to ensure a seat for the former Prime Minister in either of the two Houses of Parliament.

There is speculation in political circles here that one of the seats held by the Akali Dal in the Rajya Sabha may be vacated to facilitate Mr Gujral's election to the Upper House.

Do away with free power: Adviser
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, April 28 — Punjab's Adviser on Power, Mr N.S. Vasant, who is also a former chairman of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), has urged the state government to free the PSEB from the burden of giving power free of cost to the farm sector.

Delivering a lecture on "Power sector managements — Challenges ahead", organised by the Patiala Management Association here yesterday, Mr Vasant said if at all state government was to continue with its policy of giving power free of cost to the farm sector it must subsidise the PSEB for the losses being incurred by it.

He said the PSEB had fallen into a debt trap by giving power free of cost to farmers as the subsidy promised by the government to help it rise over its losses had not been given.

Mr Vasant said: "I have toured villages personally and come to realise that the farmers of the state do not want power free of cost". He said the farmers wanted continuous flow of power for which they were ready to pay. "I think the Chief Minister knows this and I do not see any reason for the government to lose revenue as well as popularity", he said.

During the course of his lecture, he also came down heavily on the state government for interfering in the working of the PSEB. He said the chairman of the board and the members should not be kept on daily wages but appointed for a definite period and given well-defined norms of functioning.

He said though Punjab had satisfactory power supply, there was no planned project for the state in the Ninth plan. "We are lucky that the Thein Dam is nearing completion and the Lehra Mohabbat project has come up, but we must realise that planning for future projects is necessary to ensure a comfortable power position in the future," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director of the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr M.P. Kapoor, said India could follow the pattern of China and go in for mini and micro power projects. He also made a fervent appeal that technical jobs must be manned by technical people and political constraints should not be the only rule behind the appointment to the power board.The Patiala Management Association president, Mr Y.P. Mehra, said electricity boards could only run if allowed to function freely. He said if states demanded royalty even for hydel generation, it would hinder private parties from investing in the state.

Tohra men may form third front

NEW DELHI, April 28 (UNI) — Akalis loyal to former SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra have started exploring the possibility of floating a third front in Punjab for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Following Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s decision to go to the polls with coalition partners, the BJP.

Mr Tohra’s loyalist Prem Singh Chandumajra,former MP, who has already expressed his reservations on continuation of Akalis alliance with the BJP, held preliminary discussions with Opposition leaders here in the past two days, Akali sources said today.

Confirming Mr Chandumajra’s meeting with BSP leader Arif Mohammad Khan, the sources said the Tohra faction was keen to revive its alliance with the BSP in Punjab. The Akalis and the BSP fought together the 1996 general elections in which BSP supremo Kanshi Ram romped home along with two other party colleagues. Mr Kanshi Ram, who attended the parallel Khalsa tercentenary celebrations organised by the Tohra faction in Anandpur Sahib, is likely to meet Mr Tohra shortly to explore the possibility of an alliance in Punjab, sources said.

The Tohra faction has also sent feelers to the Left leaders for developing an understanding with the Left parties which have pockets of influence in the state.

Besides this, in the wake of the Badal-Tohra feud, the Tohra faction had rallied around dismissed Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh and has enlisted the support of splinter Akali factions led by former Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode and former SAD Senior Vice-President Kuldip Singh Wadala.

As part of a strategy of bringing all opponents of Mr Badal on a joint platform in the coming elections, the Tohra faction has opened channels with former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and the Janata Dal, the sources said.

Last week, Mr Tohra met Mr Chandra Shekhar here, who had not only attended the parallel Khalsa celebrations on April 14 in Anandpur Sahib but also criticised the Badal government for not making appropriate arrangements for his visit to the sanctum sanctorum there.

The Tohra loyalists formed a parallel Youth Akali Dal at Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab yesterday which announced its policy of keeping equidistance both from the BJP and the Congress and held the two parties responsible for imposing elections on the country.

Mr Chandumajra, who met AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalitha in the capital last week, appealed to the regional parties to form a front for the ensuing mid-term polls for ensuring a stable government at the Centre.

With the removal of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar by the Badal-dominated SGPC today, the chances of rapprochement between warring Akali factions have further receded, the sources said.

Congress will go it alone: Amarinder
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, said here today that his party would prefer to go it alone in the coming mid-term elections in the state.

"Our party will manage to make a clean sweep on its own in Punjab", Capt Amarinder Singh asserted. If the party high command entered into any electoral pact with any other party, the PPCC would honour that pact, he added.

He said the party in Punjab was fully prepared to jump into the poll arena even if the elections were held next month. The party workers were in high spirits and the Congress party was certain to come out with flying colours.

Capt Amarinder Singh said he would not contest the elections. "I would be moving around in the entire state to seek support for party candidates. It is my responsibility to work for the candidates to ensure their win," he added.

He claimed that the Badal Government would face a miserable time in the election. The Punjab Government had failed totally to live up to the expectations of the people, and they had turned against it, he said.

Farmers faced a lot of problems during the ongoing wheat procurement. Earlier they had a tough time at the time of procurement of paddy. The government had done nothing for them, he alleged. Lakhs of youth were unemployed in the state and what was the Punjab government doing to find jobs for them? he asked.

The PCC chief said his party would like to field the best candidates. The final selection of candidates would be made by the parliamentary board out of the panels submitted to it by Punjab unit, he added.

SGPC not to send jatha to Pak
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The SGPC's executive, which met here today, has criticised strongly the Pakistan Government for constituting a parallel SGPC for managing the Sikh gurdwaras in that country.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, President, SGPC, said that the SGPC was constituted under Sikh Gurdwara Act in 1925 when Pakistan was part of India. She said under the Act the management of all gurdwaras in undivided Punjab was with the SGPC.

But now with the constitution of a parallel body, Pakistan had started interfering in the Sikh religious affairs. She said when a jatha went to Pakistan recently it was given a very shabby treatment. Even SGPC employees who went to Pakistan on their official duty were given bad treatment.

Bibi Jagir Kaur said to protest against the Pakistan Government's attitude as far as Sikh religious affairs were concerned, the SGPC had decided not send a jatha to Pakistan in June.

"I have requested Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up the issue with the Union Government as it is a very serious matter. The Central Government could talk to the Pakistan Prime Minister in this connection", she observed.

Talking about another issue Bibi Jagir Kaur said the SGPC had allowed an organisation in Gujarat to construct a bhavan in memory of Guru Nanak Dev. But the SGPC would not allow installation of a statue of Guru Nanak in that bhavan. She added that Sikh religion was totally opposed to installation of statues of Sikh Gurus. Idol worship was not allowed in Sikh religion, she claimed.

Cotton sowing
Farmers face scarcity of certified seed
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, April 28 — In the absence of sufficient stock of certified seed available with the Agriculture Department and the Punjab Seed Corporation, the farmers have started sowing uncertified seed of cotton and sowing season started from April 15.

Official sources said that the Punjab Agriculture Department had only 6000 quintal of certified seed with it which is sufficient only for 10 per cent of the area to be sown this year.

For the remaining requirement which was more than 50,000 quintal, the farmers are depending upon the private seed traders and getting the non-certified seed at higher price.

Mr A.S. Chandi, Joint Director, State Agriculture Department and in charge cotton crop told The Tribune every year the Agriculture Department provided certified seed to cover only 10 per cent area of the total area in which the cotton was to be sown.

He said that there was no shortage of seed in the market and most of the farmers had developed their own seed from the last year's crop.

On the other hand, the farmers are buying hybrid seed from the private traders without any verification of their germination, growing capacity and resistance to the pest attack.

Mr Ashok Dhir, Chairman, Punjab State Seed Corporation, admitted that there was shortage of certified seed in the Bathinda and Mansa districts. He added that Punseed could develop only 2000 quintal of certified seed this year only.

Official sources said that repeated failure of cotton crop had hit the production of certified seed in large quantity. Punseed had fixed the target last year of producing about 18,000 quintal of certified seed this year but it could not achieve it due to crop failure.

Mr Chandi pointed out that state Agriculture Department had fixed the target of 5 lakh hectare of area on which the cotton would be sown this year. He added that for better yield and to protect the cotton crop from untimely rains and attack of various types of pest the farmers had been advised to sow cotton between April 15 and May 15.

He added that state Agriculture Department had taken up the matter of supply of adequate canal water with the Irrigation Department to the farmers during the sowing of cotton crop. He added to guide the farmers from initial stage, the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme had been launched at grassroots level.

Tussle between purchase agencies
Lifting of wheat stocks affected

TARN TARAN (Amritsar), April 28 (UNI) — The tussle between two leading government purchase agencies has hampered the movement of wheat stocks from the Chola Sahib sub-yard purchase centre to this sub-divisional town, causing problems to farmers of about 30 odd villages situated close to the Beas.

Officials said due to the tussle between Markfed and the State Warehousing Corporation, about 80,000 sacks of wheat were waiting to be lifted and there was no space left for fresh arrivals. The farmers of the area were reluctant to bring their wheat to the mandi fearing that it might not be purchased.

Rivalry between the two purchase agencies had reportedly been perpetuated by a senior Akali leader, who is also a Cabinet rank minister and his junior party colleague, who is chairman of a corporation. While the minister had ordered that all wheat arrivals should be purchased by Markfed, the chairman of the corporation had come out in favour of the warehousing corporation.

Inquiries revealed that tender for the movement of wheat purchased by Markfed from Chola Sahib to this subdivisional town on trucks had been allotted to a party which was close to the relative of the minister while on the other hand the warehousing tender had been allotted to people who were close to relatives of the corporation chairman. The minister had asked the warehousing officials not to purchase wheat while the chairman had also asked Markfed officials deputed for this purpose not to purchase wheat.

In the face of these "threats", the officials of both purchase agencies were in a quandary whether to go ahead with further wheat purchases. Though the district administration was aware of this problem, it had not come forward to rescue the farmers.

Further inquiries revealed that the rate quoted by Markfed in the tender was Rs 18 per quintal while the warehousing rate was Rs 11 per quintal — both of which had been accepted by the district administration under pressure.

Punjab to raise memorials to cops
From Our Correspondent

FARIDKOT, April 28 — The Punjab Government has decided to raise memorials at every district headquarters in the memory of those police officials who sacrificed their lives while fighting militancy during the past decade ago in the state. This was stated by Mr R.S. Gill, Inspector-General of Police, Patiala zone, after unveiling the bust of late DSP, H.S. Gill at the local Police Lines today.

Ferozepore, Bathinda and Moga district will be covered under the scheme next month and four statues of senior police officers had already been set up at Patiala. To provide better and free of cost educational facilities to the wards of police martyrs, one more police public school will be opened at Ferozepore shortly. Four such institutions had been functioning at Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Phillaur, Mr Gill said.

He added that 2,200 SPOs will be recruited in the Police Department in the next two months. The I-G lauded the police for curbing terrorism in Punjab.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr G.S. Mann, DIG, Faridkot range, appealed to the Punjab Government to relax police service rules to rehabilitate the members of the bereaved families who were still jobless. As many as 22 such cases had been detected at this range.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal, Mr H.S. Sidhu, Mr Harnek Singh and Mr Urinder Singh, SSPs, Faridkot, Bathinda and Mansa, respectively, also spoke on the occasion. The chief guest also honoured 30 families of martyrs who had come from different parts of the district.

Earlier Mr Gill held an open darbar of district police officials of different ranks and heard their grievances. He also inaugurated a PCO at the Police Lines.

Seven injured in group clash

JALANDHAR, April 28 (PTI) — Seven persons were injured today in a quarrel between two rival groups on the premises of the Civil Hospital at Sultanpur Lodhi over a disputed land comprising 27 kanals, the police said.

Rival groups led by Gurdip Singh and Harbans Singh clashed on the hospital premises after Gurdip and his companion, Manohar Lal, were earlier beaten up allegedly by Harbans Singh and his accomplices, police sources said, quoting an FIR lodged by Manohar Lal at police station of Sultanpur Lodhi, 40 km from here.

Terrified doctors at the hospital shut the doors and summoned the police. A case was later registered. All injured were admitted to the same hospital.

Gurdip and Harbans had been involved in a long-running land dispute which was being probed on an order by Deputy Commissioner Usha R. Sharma.

Manohar Lal's complaint said Gurdip was waylaid by Harbans and his accomplices when he was on his way to the local SDM's court along with a witness, Piara Singh, to appear for a hearing in the land dispute. Both Gurdip and Piara were allegedly beaten up and made to swear at a Gurdwara that they would not appear in the court.

Later when Manohar took the two to the hospital, Harbans and his men came there too and a fight ensued between the two groups. Five men of the Gurdip Singh group and three of the Harbans Singh group were injured. Both group leaders were also hurt, the police said.

550 jhuggi-dwellers relocated
Tribune News Service and PTI

JALANDHAR, April 28 — The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) has, with the help of the local administration, taken possession of 6.71 acres of prime land by relocating 550 jhuggi-dwellers near a milk plant on the Amritsar road.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Som Nath, while briefing mediapersons said the land owned by PUDA, adjoining the PUDA complex, was in the possession of 550 jhuggi-dwellers for over 15-20 years.

He said a commercial centre would soon come up on the land.

The Deputy Commissioner said facilities like electricity, water and toilets had been provided to the jhuggi-dwellers.

He said the land would now be auctioned and was likely to fetch between Rs 40 crore and Rs 50 crore.

He said the district administration gave the dwellers 48-hour notice and provided 100-trucks and buses, and two ambulances for shifting the luggage and belongings of the affected people.

Each family had been given a plot of 1.5 marla and 10 hand pumps and 60 toilets had been constructed for them.

The Deputy Commissioner said another cluster of illegal settlements near Rama Mandi would also be cleared soon.

AISSF ‘not to rejoin’ SAD
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, April 28 — The All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has ruled out rejoining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll, but will forge a third front in Punjab to defeat the SAD as well as the Congress.

Talking to reporters here today, the president of the federation, Mr Harminder Singh Gill, indicated that efforts were being made for the formation of the front with Panthic leaders like the former SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, and like-minded parties like the BSP, the Janata Dal, the CPM and the CPI. A formal announcement in this regard would be made in due course.

Mr Gill said the poll would lead to far-reaching changes. Holding the Punjab Chief Minister and SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, responsible for flouting the hukumnama issued from Akal Takht for unity among Sikhs on the occasion of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, he said he had taken the rift to the international level in order to remain in power.

The new front, he claimed, would wipe out the family rule of Mr Badal from the political scene.

The front would take guidance from Bhai Ranjit Singh, he stated.

The federation opposed an alliance with the BJP since it had failed to come upto the expectations of people.

It did nothing for the state during its rule.

It promised to give Rs 100 crore for the tercentenary celebrations. But gave only Rs 19 crore.

Mr Gill said the formation of a new Youth Akali Dal by Tohra loyalists was part of the new political process getting shape in the state.

In reply to a question, Mr Gill said the Akali Dal faction headed by Mr Simranjeet Singh Mann might not join the new front as he was pursuing a line which was not acceptable to most of the Panthic leaders.

Two colleges disaffiliated
From Jupinderjit Singh

PATIALA, April 28 — The future of 74 students of Guru Tegh Bahudur Homoeopathic College and Budha Dal Girls College here hangs in the balance as Punjabi University has decided to disaffiliate the two educational institutions for not conforming to norms and rules set by the university.

Highly-placed sources in the university told this correspondent that the university had granted a one-year letter of intent or temporary affiliation to both colleges last year. It was subject to fulfilment of certain norms and rules, failing which the letter of affiliation might be withdrawn. Sources said about a month ago, the Dean (Colleges) had issued notices to the two colleges in this regard.

With this decision, the future of 38 students of Guru Tegh Bahadur Homoepathic College, Charan Bagh, 28 of whom are in second year, and 26 of Budha Girls College may be uncertain. However, the authorities of both colleges have decided to contest the university decision and are confident that the affiliation will be renewed.

Mr S.S. Pahal, Dean (Colleges), Punjabi University, confirming the decision to disaffiliate the colleges said both institutions had flouted university norms.

In the case of the homoeopathic college, Mr Pahal said the university did not know the number of students studying there as the admissions were not done through the university. Further, the college had not paid Rs 20 lakh to the university for setting up an endowment fund and another Rs 1 lakh as fee for temporary affiliation. He said there were other objections like building and laboratory facilities.

Dr Pardeep Dhir, Principal of the homoeopathic college said the admissions were conducted through the State Council of Homoeopathic System of Medicine in November last year as the university had granted temporary affiliation to the college in that month only. He alleged the university was charging a high fee and not accepting the request of the college to lower it.

In the case of the girls' college, Mr Pahal said the college was not following the university rules regarding the recruitment of staff, especially the principal. According to the norms, the college had to advertise posts and then conduct interviews through a selection committee which should have representatives of the university and the Punjab Government through the DPI Colleges. Mr Pahal said the teaching staff should have cleared the NET-UGC test which was not followed by the college. Also the principal of the college, Mrs Gurwant Kaur Dhillon, who according to documents with the university was above the age of 60, ineligible for the post according to rules.

However, Mrs Dhillon, who is actually the Director of the college, said she was initially the acting principal when correspondence with the university regarding the affiliation was going on and she signed it as Principal. She said later the management appointed Mrs Ranbir Brar, who is below the age of 60, as the Principal.

Three booked in rape case
From Our Correspondent

KAPURTHALA, April 28 — The kotwali police has registered a case under Section 366, 368, 376, 342 and 120B of the IPC against three persons, including two women on the charge of allegedly abducting a girl of Dogranwala village and raping her.

According to report lodged with police, the victim alleged that on the night of April 18, her neighbour, Rajwinder Kaur, came to her house and took her along on the pretext that she had to answer the call of nature. On reaching the fields, near the university farm, she spotted two persons, Sukhwinder Singh and Jaswinder waiting there who took the girl on a scooter. The victim alleged that she was taken to various places where the accused raped her.

She said Sukhwinder Singh kept her in confinement in a room and raped her at night. On the third day she managed to escape and reached her parents.

The police has arrested Sukhwinder Singh after the medical examination of the girl, while the other accomplices have absconded.

League to field ‘upright’ candidates
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — The Indian Ex-Servicemen's League, Punjab and Chandigarh, has decided to field "upright" candidates with the help of the public for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.

Announcing this here today, Lt-Col C.S. Dhillon (retd), president of the league, said the league was in constant touch with veterans in different states.

He said an amendment should be made to the Constitution to make it mandatory for all parties to abide by pre-poll alliances.

Govt employees hold rally
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, April 28 — On a call given by the Punjab and UT Employees Joint Action Committee, Employees of government and semi-government departments held a rally in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here today to protest against the state government's move to effect a 10 per cent cut in basic pay of the employees using official accommodation.

Mr Darshan Singh Labana, President, district unit of the Class IV Government Employees Union, Punjab, said para-medical, roadways and technical employees also participated in the rally.

The rallyists were demanding a roll back of increased treatment rates of government hospitals, withdrawal of 10 per cent cut in basic pay of employees using official accommodation, wheat load on Haryana pattern and instalment of dearness allowance pending since January, this year.

VC sets up new planning board, committees
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, April 28 — Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University has constituted a new planning board and various other committees for a period extending till March 31, 2000.

According to a press note of the university, the Vice-Chancellor himself will be the chairman of the planning board, while the other members included the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Dean, Academic Affairs, the Registrar, Dr S.S. Bhatti, Prof B.R. Batra (Guru Ram Das School of Planning), Dr Madanjit Kaur (Professor, Guru Nanak Studies), Dr R.K. Bedi (Professor, Physics), Dr Satvir Singh (Professor, Psychology), Dr Kashmir Singh (Professor, Laws) and Dr Subhash Chander (Professor Commerce and Business Management).

The various committees formed are —

Cultural Committee- Dr B.S. Ghuman, Professor, School of Punjabi Studies (Chairman).

Press Committee- Dr P.S. Raikhy, Professor, Punjab School of Economics (Chairman).

Publication Committee: Dr B.L. Chkoo, Professor, Department of English (Chairman).

Farm Committee: Dr Mangal Singh, Professor, Chemistry (Chairman).

Foreign Students Advisory Committee: Dr R.K. Bedi, Professor, Physics (Chairman).

Medical Committee: Dr Satish Verma, Professor, Punjab School of Economics (Chairman).

Landscape committee: Dr Sarup Singh, Professor, Guru Ramdas School of Planning (Chairman).

Campus Committee: Prof B.R. Batra, Guru Ramdas School of Planning (Chairman).

2 killed in bus-car collision
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — Two persons were killed and nine others seriously injured when a bus collided with a car near Neelon, 25 km from here.

The deceased have been identified as Mrs Krishna and Mr Gurbaksh Singh.

Seven of the injured have been admitted to Mohandai Oswal Cancer Hospital, one to the Civil Hospital and the other to Christian Medical College and Hospital.

Mr Arun Rishi, an employee of The Tribune, was also travelling in the bus, along with his wife and son. Though he is stated to be in a serious condition, his wife and child are out of danger.

The bus belonged to the Ferozepore depot and was going from Chandigarh to Ludhiana.

Ludhiana-Delhi trial flight
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — Indian Airlines held a successful trial flight today with a view to provide air-travel facility between Ludhiana and New Delhi for commuters of this area.

Giving details Mr Arun Goel, Deputy Commissioner, said initially Indian Airlines would provide daily flight of the 18-seated Dornier aircraft, keeping in view the prevailing runway facility. Through this flight the people of this area could avail the facility of catching flights for other metropolitan cities of the country and abroad, he added.

The Deputy Commissioner said he had already requested the state government to clear the plan for providing adequate runway and other facilities for the plying of Boeing aircrafts to benefit industrialists and traders of the area.

Two held for forgery
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — The police has arrested two persons, Om Parkash, an agent working at the old courts, and Nirmal Singh Jandi, a senior clerk at the office of the District Magistrate for forging the signature and using the seal of the Executive Magistrate on an affidavit. The police also recovered 45 attested affidavits from the possession of Om Parkash.

Police sources informed here today that Nirmal Singh Jandi prepared the forged affidavits and impersonated as Amarnath, a clerk at the Deputy Commissioner's office (for signing). These forged affidavits were being used for the transfer of vehicles, registration of new vehicles, obtaining duplicate papers, etc.

GND varsity starts coaching classes
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, April 28 — Guru Nanak Dev University has started classes to coach candidates desirous of appearing in the examination for probationary officers in nationalised banks to be held in July 1999 for general category as well as for SC, ST candidates at its All-India Services Pre-Examination Training Centre for SC/ST.

According to Mr G.B. Singh, Director of the centre, the candidates belonging to SC/ST will be given coaching free of cost.

Garbage dump to be shifted
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — The main garbage dump of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, will be shifted from the present site in Jainpur Hambra to a new site near the Sutlej.

A decision in this regard was taken at the monthly meeting of the District Grievances Committee held here yesterday under the chairmanship of Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab.

Youth Cong rally on May 3
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 28 — The Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress general secretary, Mr Sushil Malhotra, in a press note here yesterday, stated that a Youth Congress rally on May 3 would be held at the residence of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, president of the All-India Congress Committee, under the leadership of Mr Manish Tiwari, president of the Indian Youth Congress.

Youth Congress workers from all districts of Punjab would attend the rally under leadership of the Punjab Youth Congress President, Mr Devinder Singh Babbo. Mrs Sonia Gandhi will address the Youth Congress workers on the current political situation in view of the dissolved Lok Sabha and forthcoming elections.

PUTA faction opposes call
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, April 28 — A faction of the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) and the Teachers United Front (TUF) today said the agitation against the Vice-Chancellor and the call to boycott all official functions of the varsity given by PUTA president S.S. Khaira had the backing of only a "small section of the teaching community".

Dr N.S. Atri, secretary, PUTA, said the call should be ignored as it was not given at the general body or executive meeting. Mr Atri said no general body meeting of PUTA had taken place after October 8.

In a separate statement, Prof S.S. Joshi convener, TUF, condemned a group of teachers who were vitiating the atmosphere of the university. He said no decision was ever taken by any representative body of teachers to boycott the official functions of the university.

Retired civic staff demand pension
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, April 28 — The retired employees of various municipal councils of the state have urged the Punjab Chief Minister to make arrangements for bringing them under the pension scheme.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Jagdish Rai Bansal, President, Retired Municipal Employees Union, said the Punjab Government had not extended the benefits of the pension scheme to municipal employees who had retired between January 1, 1976, and March 31, 1990. However, the benefits of the pension scheme had been given to employees who had retired after March 31, 1990.

He pointed out that about 130 employees had been deprived of the benefits of the scheme due to the wrong cut off date fixed by the authorities concerned.

He added that a number of Central government departments which introduced the pension scheme later had brought retired employees under the scheme.