Friday, December 3, 1999
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Friday, December 3, 1999 |
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Panel on environment
protection set up CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Government has set up a high-level committee to design effective arrangements for environmental protection at the district level. Maluka blames Cong, praises Badal CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Irrigation Minister of State, Mr S.S. Maluka said today the previous Congress Government was guilty of criminal negligence to the misery of the people in the water-logged areas from 1994-95 onwards. The water logging menace which was not tackled was now fading. |
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Issue passport to Sohan Singh: HC CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Regional Passport Authority to issue a passport to Dr Sohan Singh, an alleged Khalistan ideologue. Show-cause notice to Dal MLA
stayed
Limbs
centre gasping for funds Govt
firm on holding exam IG
warns against unplanned interrogation Fake
currency racket busted Misappropriation
of funds detected SAD
warns Centre on Uttaranchal Bill Overcharging
in bus fares alleged New
SGPC secy takes over Medical
teachers may boycott exams ECTA
all set to boycott exams Vet
Dept officials in a quandary Decision
on customs duty hailed Badal
lays stone of Krishi Vigyan Kendra DC
suspends 7 employees SHO
booked in assault case Restoration
of Quila Mubarak 'faulty' Municipal
income may increase Tax
officials told to be honest Assurance
given to NRI Sabha Literate
Punjab in 2 yrs: Badal Record
production of mushroom likely Badal
flays attack on dera 2
Pak intruders arrested Inspectors’
bhog |
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Panel on environment
protection set up CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Government has set up a high-level committee to design effective arrangements for environmental protection at the district level. Mr Viswajeet Khanna, Special Secretary, Science, Technology and Environment, has been made Chairman of the committee. Its other members are Er N.S. Tiwana, Executive Director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Er Ajay Kumar Mahajan, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Mr V.K. Singh and Mr J.S. Bir, Deputy Commissioners of Sangrur, Kapurthala and Patiala, respectively, and Director Local Bodies, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and a representative of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The committee, which has been asked to submit its report within a period of two months, would lay down guidelines for the deputy commissioners in the State for enforcing the anti-pollution laws. It would also suggest systems for monitoring the environment protection measures, participation of polluters in the environment safeguard programmes and coordination of various agencies involved in anti-pollution programmes. It will also prepare a continuing plan for environment crisis management. Mr Rajan Kashyap, Principal Secretary to the Government of Punjab for the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, told TNS today that in fact deputy commissioners had been told to play a pivotal role for the environment protection. They would have to send reports periodically to the State Government with regard to status of pollution and environment in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Such reports would be scrutinised at the State level and action required to be taken would be initiated at the top level. Mr Kashyap said the state would not act as a "policeman" but would try hard to inculcate the spirit of self discipline among polluters and seek their cooperation to make the various cities, towns and villages better for living. Industrialists who often complain with regard to harassment to them by officials of the Pollution Control Board had been told to send their daily reports with regard to various emissions and effluents from their units through e-mail to the Pollution Control Board. If such reports were found false on inspection, then action would be taken against the industrialists concerned, he added. The Pollution Control Board had been told to computerise all the relevant system for receiving the reports from industrialists on e-mail and then for further processing and monitoring. Mr Kashyap said he had already held meetings with industrialists and others concerned for their cooperation in implementing the environmental protection schemes. Soon a meeting would be held at Ludhiana, he added. Commissioners of Municipal Corporations at Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar and Amritsar would also be involved in this exercise. It is a known fact that
some of the urban settlements in the state are rapidly
turning into slums. The growth of urban settlements is
chaotic, haphazard and pollution oriented. Rural areas
near urban settlements especially of industrial cities
like Ludhiana, Gobindgarh, Jalandhar, Amritsar have
become disposal centres. |
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Maluka blames Cong, praises
Badal CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Irrigation Minister of State, Mr S.S. Maluka said today the previous Congress Government was guilty of criminal negligence to the misery of the people in the water-logged areas from 1994-95 onwards. The water logging menace which was not tackled was now fading. He gave credit for this to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. During the monsoon period of 1997, about 2.16 lakh hectares in south-western districts was water-logged out of which 1.04 lakh hectares alone, falling in district Muktsar, was most severely affected. The average rise of water table in the previous years has been as high as 0.2 metre per year and the water table was lying either at the surface or at about 1-2 metre below ground level, but the previous Congress Government in Punjab was blissfully indifferent to the plight of the people. It was Mr Badal who accorded high priority to check the water-logging in the entire State. Mr Maluka said projects for the surface drainage system were framed and got approved from NABARD under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund in record time. Three projects namely ‘‘Construction of Main drainage system", "Construction of link drains’’ and ‘‘Construction of Wahabwala Drainage System’’ with a total loan assistance of Rs 129 crore have already been sanctioned by NABARD. As many as 25 new draglines have also been purchased at a cost of Rs 20 crore. During the 1992-97 Congress Rule, not even a single dragline was purchased. The Wahabwala Project costing Rs 40 crore is in the pipeline. New surface drainage system with a total network of main drains and link drains measuring 425 km has been constructed. Besides, more than a thousand pucca structures such as cross drainage works, V.R. bridges, field path and water course crossings etc have been constructed to provide the right of way and irrigation for the area. The existing drainage infrastructure has been adequately strengthened in the State. The State Government is in the process of paying Rs 100 crore as cost of land acquisition. The new drainage system that has been provided in south-western districts with outfall provision into the natural drainage line i.e. the Sutlej is based on sound technical requirements and existing site conditions. The post-project conditions in the area are testimony to the fact that the water-logging has been substantially removed. No crop could be sown in 45166 hectare area due to standing water in the Muktsar belt. cotton crop was the worst hit due to salinity. Presence of moisture due to standing water had over-saturated the soil below. After the implementation of the project, 45166 hectare area which was declared 'Kharaba' during 1997-98 has been brought under cultivation. It is because of this effort that there has been a record production of paddy in the State. There are other areas such as the Kahnuwan swamp area in Gurdaspur district, Mansa district, Dasuya and Mukerian block of Hoshiarpur district, Banga tehsil of Nawanshahr district, Anandpur Sahib in Ropar district, Machhiwara in Ludhiana district etc. are also affected with water-logging in varying degrees. The state has made a representation before the 11th Finance Commission for giving a grant of Rs 300 crore for combating the water-logging problem with all futuristic projection so that no land was affected or left uncultivated due to inadequate drainage on water-logging. He urged the Congress not to raise unnecessary controversies which might block the release of development funds to Punjab with regard to water-logging. The Minister’s
statement has come as reaction to a statement made by Mr
R.R. Bhardwaj, Chairman, Economic cell, Punjab Pradesh
Congress Committee, on November 30. The Congress leader
had asked the Punjab Government to explain about funds
spent on containing water-logging in the state. |
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Will Anandgarh come up? CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Government decision to create a new city — Anandgarh — was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, while concluding the inaugural functions at Anandpur Sahib in April last. During the intervening period, the agencies concerned prepared a blueprint for the proposed town complete with site plan, demographic profile, and a rehabilitation policy for the displaced persons. It was presented to the Cabinet recently. The project plan had also envisaged possible opposition to the proposed town. Though a dream project of the chief minister, the unexpected response of the ministers has cast a shadow over the future of the project, say informed sources. The views put forward were the same which the Akalis had aired when a "new Chandigarh" idea was floated during the Congress rule. That proposal was shelved. Those who put a question mark on the project they are now apprehensive that there was a strong possibility of Anandgarh being opposed by the Congress and the Chandigarh Administration. As per the proposals prepared by the agencies concerned, three sites have been shortlisted. First, the area adjoining Chandigarh bound by Siswan Choe on one side and Patiala-ki-Rao on the other. Second, a site between Chandigarh and Anandpur Sahib. The site is between Budki Nadi and Haripir Nadi. Three, a site close to Anandpur Sahib in Nurpur Bedi block. It has on one side the Sutlej and on the other creaks. The sources say from all aspects, linkages, fertility of land, topography, drainage, land cost (compensation and development), sales (plots etc) the first site (adjoining Chandigarh) has been "recommended". Moreover, the proposed site, as recommended by the chief town planner, will ease pressure on Chandigarh, check haphazard urban growth in its periphery. The site will also attract non-resident Indians. It is ideal for educational institutions besides providing residential and office space for the government. Financially, the site may appear to be a costly proposition. The land will cost one-fifth of the total project cost. The project cost is estimated at Rs 2,000 crore. Insiders say that the
political executive has been briefed about the
demographic profile. The site in the North and North-West
of Chandigarh, in its immediate vicinity, will have an
area of 6,736 hectares. |
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Issue passport to Sohan Singh:
HC CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Regional Passport Authority to issue a passport to Dr Sohan Singh, an alleged Khalistan ideologue. Mr Justice V.K.Jhanji, who handed down this order, ruled that Dr Sohan Singh should be given the passport within seven days from the date he submitted his fresh application along with a certified copy of the High Court order. The issuance of passport to Dr Sohan Singh was opposed by the External Affairs Ministry and the Regional Passport officer on the ground that if he went abroad he would endanger the country’s sovereignty and security as he had links with militants settled abroad. The second ground on which his request for passport was opposed was that a few cases had been registered against him under TADA. Moreover, the treatment for the diseases he suffered from was available in India. The Judge, however, observed that Dr Sohan Singh had been acquitted in all cases registered against him. The respondents had also failed to support their allegations against the petitioner on the basis of documentary evidence. Mr Justice Jhanji
further held that Dr Sohan Singh was not bound to go by
the advice of the respondents about his treatment. It was
his fundamental right to get treatment from any doctor of
his choice. He was about 80 years old and his heart
condition was precarious. |
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Show-cause notice to Dal MLA
stayed CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of the show-cause notice served on Mr Ravi Inder Singh, Akali Dal MLA from Morinda and a member of the party’s Political Affairs Committee, calling upon him to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for engaging in "anti-party activities." Today was the last date for replying to the notice. Mr Justice M.L. Singhal, who handed down this order, also issued notice to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister and President of SAD, for December 7. The Judge also directed the court below to decide on the application moved by Mr Ravi Inder Singh seeking a stay against the operation of the show-cause notice at the latest by December 13. The notice was accepted by Giani Bachittar Singh, counsel for the respondent. The petitioner stated that he had filed a civil suit in the court of Mr Naval Kumar, Civil Judge (Junior Division) Chandigarh, questioning the show-cause notice on the ground that it had been issued under the directions of the party’s Political Affairs Committee. Interestingly, a Political Affairs Committee did not exist in the party constitution. Therefore, this committee had no locus standi to issue a show-cause notice. Mr Ravi Inder Singh stated that the notice of the suit as well as of the injunction application was served on the defendants on November 29 for November 30. Since the pe;titioner was required to reply to the notice by December 2, he was likely to be removed from the party if he did not file a reply. The respondents sought time to file a reply and sought adjournment of the case. The petitioner pleaded with the court below that since the notice expired on December 2 and if the case was adjourned beyond this date, he prayed that the operation of the show-cause should be stayed. The Judge adjourned the case to December 6 and expressly stated that he would hear arguments on the stay application on that date. Counsel for Mr Ravi Inder Singh pleaded before Mr Justice Singhal that this order of the Judge was unjust as he had failed to exercise his jurisdiction (for the grant of stay of the notice). Counsel further argued that since the civil suit had been adjourned to December 6, it would become infructuous as Mr Ravi Inder Singh was likely to be removed from the party membership. Counsel also urged the
court to stay the operation of the notice during the
pendency of the suit in the court of the Civil Judge. |
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Strategy to save underground
water BATHINDA, Dec 2 — The Punjab Government is working out a strategy to desist farmers from going in for the wheat-paddy crop rotation to save underground water which is depleting fast. At present about 93 per cent of underground water is being exploited in Punjab against the recommended 60 per cent. Only by breaking the wheat-paddy crop rotation, ground water can be recharged to a considerable extent. These revelations were made by Mr J.R. Kundal, Secretary, Public Health, Punjab, while talking to The Tribune.Mr Kundal today presided over the district-level workshop for promoting community participation in rural water supply programme organised by the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission. Mr Kundal said the Public Health Department with the help of people living in the rural areas was making efforts to increase the supply of water per person from existing 40 litres to 55 litres daily. To supply 100 litres of water per person daily was not feasible yet He pointed out that a state-level committee had been formed to decide the fate of the ad hoc employees of the Public Health Department. He had received the inquiry report of Bhagibandar water works and action against the guilty officials would be taken soon. Mr R.N. Deshpandey, Deputy Adviser, Government of India, who addressed the workshop said two districts of Punjab namely Bathinda and Moga were chosen as pilot district where scheme of community participation would be implemented and funds would be given for the augmentation of water supply and home service connections. Under this scheme, the Central Government would contribute 90 per cent of the total cost of any drinking water project while the rest amount would have to be contributed by the consumers. Under the scheme, Rs 6.88 crore and Rs 3.33 crore would be given to Bathinda and Moga districts, respectively, for improving the drinking water supply in the rural areas. He pointed out that people living in the rural areas would be given training in water quality management water. They would be authorised to operate and maintain their own drinking water supply scheme by minimising the interference of government agencies. Under the scheme traditional water resources like village ponds would be preserved and their condition improved so that water could be used for drinking purpose after necessary treatment. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy
Commissioner, said the Central Government had chosen
Bathinda as a pilot district under the scheme when it was
assured that community participation would be 100 per
cent. He said it was now the responsibility of the
panchayats to make the scheme a success. |
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Limbs centre gasping for funds PATIALA: The Department of Artificial Limbs and Rehabilitation at Rajindra Hospital here is gasping for funds, thanks to government apathy. The only fully equipped centre of its kind in Punjab, the department is also the oldest one. Though several small units came up later at other government hospitals in the state, none could match this centre in terms of equipment and infrastructure. Better known as the orthopaedics workshop, the centre was instituted in 1965 by an ex-serviceman, Sub Dhanwant Singh, who took part in World War II and was later trained by the British for preparing artificial limbs. The centre worked well for a little more than two decades before it began facing problems. While competition from private hospitals became fierce, the state government certainly did not help matters by stopping its annual grant of Rs 80,000. The workshop was trying hard to come to terms with the resource crunch when the Public Health Department stopped funding some of its infrastructure. A particular example worth mentioning here is of a modern indoor swimming poll with a built-in temperature regulation system. The pool was extremely useful for physiotherapy of patients who could not move their limbs. The water in the pool was heated to 40 °C. With the help of the buoyancy effect, the weight of the patient was reduced in water and he was able to move his arms and legs. The pool has been now lying dry. The whole complex has been lying locked for five years now after the Public Health Department stopped funding diesel required to boil water in the pool (see picture). A paraplegic patient’s ward was to be constructed on the first floor but it is yet to fructify, possibly due to resource crunch. Sources reveal that the
department has been managing with meagre funds given by
the hospital authorities from its personal ledger account
and occasional help from social organisations since 1995.
The Medical Superintendent blamed the pitiable condition
of the workshop on the stoppage of the grant. However,
the hospital was managing to keep the workshop functional
with help from social organisations and funds from the
personal ledger account. He stressed the need for
allocation of separate funds for the workshop. He
disclosed that the matter had already been taken up with
the government. |
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Govt firm on holding exam CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Despite the agitation by the teaching staff of engineering colleges in Punjab, the state government today decided to go ahead with conducting the end-semester examination commencing December 4. The Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Registrar, Mr K.K. Dhir, today said a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of principals of various engineering colleges, management institutions, polytechnics and industrial training institutes held with the Principal Secretary, Mr N.S. Rattan, and the Director, Technical Education, Mr N.S. Kalsi. Mr Rattan is Vice-Chancellor of the university. The two sought cooperation of the principals to conduct the examination, despite a boycott call by teachers. They agreed to approach the agitating teachers to conduct the examination, said Mr Dhir. The state has 14 engineering colleges besides the Sant Longowal institute. The teachers’ strength is around 700. ‘‘Their demand for better pay scale is ‘‘genuine’’. But sanctioning it was not in the hands of the state government. Mr Dhir said the recommendations of the All-India Council for Technical Education in respect of pay scales were pending with the Ministry of Human Resource Development since October 25 last, waiting formal acceptance and issuance of a notification. For the smooth conduct of examination, Mr Dhir said services of 3,000-odd engineers of the departments of Irrigation and Public Health would be requisitioned. The deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police in the districts were being contacted for peaceful conduct of the examination. Approximately 10,000
students will take the end-semester examination. |
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IG warns against unplanned
interrogation AMRITSAR, Dec 2 — “Unscientific and unplanned interrogation sometimes invite a number of problems where the police is badly trapped in a legal dragnet”, reads a study conducted by Mr J.P. Birdi, IG Punjab. The study, first of its kind, is likely to be an eye-opener for the Punjab police as third degree methods of interrogation are quite common in the state. The study, the art of interrogation further reads that “interrogation is the backbone of any successful investigation. Any failure on this front leads to haphazard investigation which ultimately jeopardises the image of the police.” The study reads that scientific interrogation is a valuable tool in the hands of an investigating officer to arrive at the truth. Intelligent and careful questioning is useful in sifting information on incriminating matters and bringing to light evidence against the suspect by completing or confirming information already received through other sources. Describing interrogation as an important part of an investigation which helps a lot in detecting crime and criminal, Mr Birdi said an investigating officer should be fully conversant with law and procedure and facts of the case. The study says that interrogation should be planned and not haphazard. It further reads “the interrogation office should place himself in the same position as that of the accused and act accordingly by understanding human nature and behaviour.” The study conducted by Mr Birdi says that the investigating officer should never twist facts, the story based on twisted facts often falls through. The writer is of the view that interrogation requires a lot of patience and confidence. He says interrogation must be done legally and in a human manner. Third degree methods should be avoided as we are living in a democratic and welfare state and human dignity is supreme as enshrined in the fundamental rights embodied in the Constitution. Quoting various articles and clauses of the Constitution he says the third degree methods used in extracting information are illegal. According to the constitution no person accused of any offence could be compelled to be a witness against himself. He says that Supreme Court has also emphasised that in the course of questioning to obtain confessional statements, there must not be any mental coercion, atmospheric pressure, compelled testimony or frequent threats of prosecution. The study states that
the interrogator should be free from all prejudices,
communal, religious, political etc and from preconceived
ideas, either about the suspect or about the case under
investigation. “He should have a clean and open
mind.” |
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Fake currency racket busted JALANDHAR, Dec 2 — With the arrest of two persons and recovery of Rs 3.14 lakh from them, the local police claims to have busted a fake currency racket. Mr Gaurav Yadav, Senior Superintendent of Police, said here today that the search of a car during a naka at the Bidhipur railway crossing near here yesterday led to the exposure of the racket. He said a blue-coloured Maruti car (PB-02-D-9062) was intercepted by a police party headed by Mr R.S. Cheema, DSP (Detective), and subsequent search led to the recovery of fake currency worth Rs 3,14,000 in the form of Rs 500 notes. Jasbir Singh, alias Pamma, a resident of Karampura Mohalla in Qadian of Gurdaspur district, and Jagir Singh, a resident of Qadian, were arrested. A case under Section 489-A/B/C/D was registered against them. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had been using a computer to prepare the fake currency notes which were being pumped into the market in a big way. A monitor, a central processing unit, a keyboard and a number of half-printed notes of the denomination of Rs 500 were found near the house of Pamma. Mr Yadav said Jasbir
Singh was initiated into the “business” by
Mohan Lal, a resident of Alawalpur village on the
outskirts of the city. |
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Misappropriation of funds detected HOSHIARPUR, Dec 2 — An audit party from the office of the Accountant -General, Punjab, has detected misappropriation of lakhs of rupees in the Animal Husbandry Department, Hoshiarpur. According to reliable official sources, a clerk did not produce the regular account and record books for audit despite instructions by the Deputy Director of the department. The sources said during audit of the cash book, it was found that many entries regarding payments of various bills did not tally with the actual receipts. For example, payments of Rs 24,481, Rs 55748, Rs 18,575 and Rs 20,000 had been shown in the cash book on March 24, 1999, whereas the actual payments of Rs 18,616, Rs 39,998, Rs 12,892 and Rs 13,762 had been made against the aforesaid amounts, respectively. Similarly, Rs 1,75,091 had been withdrawn through a cheque (No 45485) on July 6, 1999 whereas only Rs 75, 091 had been shown in the counterfoil. The sources further stated that in the bank balance statement a withdrawal of Rs 19, 965 through cheque (No. 45372) dated March 1, 1999 had been shown whereas in the cash book the withdrawal of Rs 15,394 through the aforesaid cheque had been entered. The said clerk had withdrawn the salaries of various employees of the department in October, December, March, 98, and January, ’99, but the drafts of salaries were sent to the employees concerned after eight months. The audit party found many similar bogus entries in the cash book. Dr Mohan Singh Nijjar,
Deputy Director of the department, who retired in March,
’99, had also made a complaint against the
clerk-cum-cashier about the misappropriation of his
arrears totalling about Rs 50,000 to the SSP, Hoshiarpur.
Dr Nijjar alleged that the clerk withdrew his arrears of
about Rs 50,000 but did not make payment to him. |
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SAD warns Centre on
Uttaranchal Bill PHAGWARA, Dec 2 — The Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today asked the Union Government not to pass the Uttaranchal Bill in a haste and declared that the Shiromani Akali Dal would not support the Bill in case it was not amended and Udham Singh Nagar was not excluded. He made this statement while talking to newsmen before inaugurating the tenth environment mela organised the local Environment Association. If at all the Bill was to be tabled in the winter session of Parliament, it should not be brought in present shape nor should the Uttar Pradesh Assembly show any undue haste in adopting it, said the Captain. The SAD’s political affairs committee (PAC) was for keeping Udham Singh Nagar out of proposed Uttaranchal state and the Prime Minister should honour the PAC resolution, he added. Maintaining that resource crunch in states had become a national problem, he demanded amendment in the Constitution to grant fiscal autonomy to states for sake of tackling problems like poverty, lopsided development and its sluggish pace. Demanding an equal share in taxes, Capt Kanwaljit Singh attributed the present fiscal ailments to centralised planning. The financial monopoly of the Centre had led to central extravagances which had landed even the Union government into financial crunch, the Captain said. He said the states had to bear the burden of developments while income from taxes was taken away by the Centre. Financial matters should be brought on the state list, he demanded. Capt Kanwaljit Singh
also said that he had recommended to Punjab Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal to initiate process of
downsizing the top heavy bureaucracy. |
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Overcharging in bus fares alleged BATHINDA, Dec 2 — The recent hike in bus fares at the rate of 3 paise per km, which had been enhanced from 36 paise per km to 39 paise per km has been costing the passengers dear as the transporters allegedly charge bus fares at a higher rate than the prescribed charges. In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, panchayats of many villages alleged the transporters as well as the state-owned Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) have been charging high rate of bus fares, ignoring the actual distance from one station to another. The bus fare charged from Goniana Mandi to Bathinda is Rs 7 despite the fact that the distance between these two stations is less than 13 km. According to the Public Works Department milestones the bus fare should be Rs 5 at the rate of 39 paise per km as prescribed by the state government. Similarly, residents of Gill Khurd village complained that transporters had been charging Rs 12 instead of Rs 10 from their village to Bathinda. District Transport
Officer, A.P.S. Virk, when contacted on telephone, said,
he was not aware about the matter and if any complaint
regarding this was received by his office then
appropriate action would be taken. |
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New SGPC secy takes over AMRITSAR, Dec 2 — As Mr Gurbachan Singh Bachan today took over as new secretary of the SGPC, the outgoing secretary Mr Kulwant Singh, expressed his resentment over the way he was eased out of the office. Speaking to newsmen at the farewell hosted by the staff of the SGPC, Mr Kulwant Singh said the SGPC Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was personally present yesterday in the office should have been gracious enough to inform him about his removal. Earlier, the new
secretary addressed the meeting of the staff and
administrative secretaries. |
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Medical teachers may boycott
exams AMRITSAR, Dec 2 — Teaching in all state medical and dental colleges remained suspended for the past few days in protest against the inordinate delay in the release of arrears which had been notified by the state government in April this year. The general secretary of the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association in a press note issued here today said at a meeting it was decided to continue to suspend teaching work. He added that in case the government failed to release arrears by December 7 they would be forced to boycott both graduate and postgraduate examination starting from December 8. Dr Dhillon added that for the past almost seven months the government had been dilly-dallying and avoiding to clear the arrears which were based on the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. He described the delay as discrimination against the doctors of the state-run medical and dental colleges while all other categories of the state employees had been given their dues. The association had also decided not to attend the meeting called by the Chief Secretary at Chandigarh on December 7 to discuss the issue related to the payment of arrears. The meeting of the doctors had categorically said vide the notification dated April 4, 1999, with regard to the revision of their pay scales had been issued which need to be implemented in both letter and spirit. The general secretary asserted that a number of meetings had already taken place with the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, but nothing had come out of that. It added that during July this year too doctors had withdrawn their agitation after a categorical assurance was given by the Principal Secretary, Medical Education and research, but it also proved futile. The Association expressed its serious concern over the recent resignations of a number of doctors and senior faculty member and felt the government was fully responsible for the mass exodus. It again urged the
government to release their arrears immediately and also
take steps to address the genuine demands of the medical
fraternity. |
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ECTA all set to boycott exams FEROZEPORE, Dec 2 — The Engineering College Teachers Association (ECTA) of the local Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology is all set to boycott the university examinations which will be commencing from December 4, till the revised pay scales due from January 1, 1996, were granted to the teaching staff of engineering colleges. This was claimed here today by Dr A.P. Singh and Mr T.S. Sidhu, President and General Secretary, respectively, of the ECTA. “If the Punjab Government decides to conduct the exams by appointing ineligible staff of the college or staff members from other colleges as invigilators then the ECTA has decided to disrupt the examination work by all possible means”, they warned. Teachers’ leaders further stated that the state government would be solely responsible if any untoward incident took place during the boycott. They appealed to the staff of polytechnics and other colleges not to perform the invigilation duties in engineering colleges, in case they were assigned examination duties, to avoid any untoward incident. Dr Singh and Mr Sidhu alleged that the government was deliberately delaying the implementation of the revised grade to teachers of engineering colleges on the pretext that the notification regarding the pay-scales recommended by the AICTE had not been received. How then the state governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, HP and Gujarat had implemented the revised grade to teachers of their respective engineering colleges, they questioned. Expressing regret over the present situation, they said the basic pay of a peon was higher than that of a lecturer. They also said the
teachers would not evaluate the answer books of
university exams and besides the lists of sessional
awards would not be sent to the university until the
revised grades were implemented. Agitation would be
further intensified if the government adopted an adamant
attitude regarding the conduct of examination, they said. |
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Vet Dept officials in a
quandary JALANDHAR, Dec 2 — The move of the authorities to shift the district veterinary hospital to an unutilised portion of the poultry farm premises on the Ladhowali road here was raised eyebrows in Veterinary Department circles as the proposed site is devoid of proper space to house a hospital and the basic facilities needed towards this end. The lone hospital at the district headquarters here has been catering to a huge population of animals of the city and surrounding areas for the past many years. But what created a flutter among officials of the Veterinary Department was a recent letter by the Deputy Commissioner to the Principal Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, urging the latter to implement the decision taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary on November 9 that the hospital should be shifted to an unutilised portion of the government poultry farm building and the present one should be vacated in no case later than November 30. The reason behind the shifting of the hospital to a new site was said to be done to fetch revenue by selling the present eight kanal and six marla premises located in the heart of the city near Milap Chowk here as per the decision of a committee formed by the Punjab Government on optimum utilisation of vacant government land. The order has put the officials of the Veterinary Department into a quandary as the proposed site has no place to house the infrastructure of the hospital such as a surgical unit, indoor and outdoor set-up, sullage unit. “What we are getting in return are empty poultry sheds”, said an official of the department, adding that though the closure was ordered from November 30. The department was forced to run the hospital in the absence of a proper place. It had no alternative but to provide animal health services from the present building. According to another official, the closure was ordered by the authorities without taking a number of problems into consideration. “No hospital can be shifted to livestock farm as this can lead to the outbreak of serious contagious diseases”, he said. When contacted Dr
Bhupindra Singh, Deputy Director, Veterinary Department,
refused to say anything about whether the hospital was
still running from the old building or not. However, he
said it was not possible under the present circumstances
and available infrastructure to shift the hospital to the
proposed place. He said the Punjab Urban Development
Authority had promised to provide an alternative site in
Urban Estate Phase-I and construct a building for the
hospital there. |
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Decision on customs duty hailed CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today hailed the decision of the Central Government to impose 50 per cent customs duty on the import of common and durum varieties of wheat to stimulate off-take of wheat from Punjab, according to a press note. Mr Parkash Singh Badal had expressed objection to the indiscriminate import of wheat which had adversely affected the consumption of wheat grown in Punjab. "A stage had come when the godowns in Punjab were bursting at the seams and there was no place to store foodgrain". Mr Badal had taken strong exception to the fact that whereas the wheat produced in Punjab was in excess of the immediate needs of entire India, as much as 1.5 million metric tonne of wheat was imported in the last six months. Terming earlier policy of allowing indiscriminate quantities of wheat imports either through the FCI or through roller flour mills, as "a conspiracy against the hardworking farmers of Punjab", Mr Badal said he is committed to save the hardworking farmers of Punjab from organised exploitation. Import of foodgrain is understandable only to manage a short term crisis arising out of any scarcity situation. "Import of foodgrain when the local production is surplus is suicidal", said Mr Badal. Mr Badal further stated
that he has requested the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari
Vajpayee, to have effective and purposeful consultation
with the Chief Ministers of surplus food grain producing
states before taking any policy decision which may
jeopardise the interests of the farmers. Mr Badal further
said accumulation of excess food stocks with the State
procurement agencies has resulted in unwarranted
financial burden on the State Government. He appealed to
the Union Food Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, to expedite the
transportation of wheat and rice from the Punjab
procurement agencies. |
||
Badal lays stone of Krishi
Vigyan Kendra NAWANSHAHR, Dec 2 — The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, laid the foundation stone of the first phase of the Krishi Vigayan Kendra building at nearby Langroya village today. In the first phase this office and laboratory of the kendra would be constructed at a cost of Rs 23 lakh. The Chief Minister, later, addressed a public meeting at Government Co-Education High School at the village. He said the Vigyan Kendra would impart training to the unemployed rural youth for establishing self-employment project besides conducting research in the field of agriculture. Mr Badal laid stress on the need to adopt agriculture allied occupations as agriculture was no longer a lucrative occupation. He said the SAD-BJP government was first in the country to provide the facility of free water and power. He said he had been feeling that the government should do a lot more to improve the condition of farmers. Without naming the former SGPC Chief, Mr Tohra, and his associates Mr Badal accused them of joining hands with the Congress and of harming the interests of the Panth and the state. The Chief Minister while promised a grant of Rs 2 lakh for High School, Rs 1 lakh for primary school, Rs 50,000 each for two dharamshalas and Rs 5 lakh for the streets and drains in the village and a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the primary school at Bhagauran village. Mr Badal also distributed cheques for Rs 8 lakh to panchayats of as many as six villages for various development works. He also distributed cheques for Rs 5,100 each to at least 40 beneficiaries of Shagun Scheme. Mr Prem Singh, Sarpanch, Langroya, Mr Jatinder Singh Kariha, zila jathedar; Mr Nand Lal and Mr Mohan Lal, both MLAs; Mr Resham Singh Thiara, Mr Hardev Sing Kahma, Mr Mohinder Singh Mussainpuri, Mr Tarlochan Singh Dopalpuri, local SAD leaders and Dr Roshan Sunkaria, Deputy Commissioner also spoke on the occasion. The Chief Minister also
met a number of delegations and heard the grievances of
the people. |
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DC suspends 7 employees ROPAR, Dec 2 — The Deputy Commissioner here has suspended seven employees, including two kanungos and two patwaris on account of different charges in the district. According to official
information, the employees who have been placed under
suspension are Mr Nirmal Singh, field kanungo, Bela; Mr
Dalip Singh, field kanungo, Majri; Mr Kuldip Singh, a
patwari of the Bardar patwar circle; Mr Hari Singh, a
patwari of the Sanana patwar circle; Mr Narinder Kumar,
assistant office kanungo in tehsil office, Kharar; Mr
Ravinder Kumar Bhanot and Mr Ujjagar Singh, both junior
assistants in the office of the Deputy Commissioner. |
||
SHO booked in assault case LUDHIANA, Dec 2 — The local police has registered a case under Sections 342, 506, 323 and 341, IPC, against an SHO of Phagwara, for allegedly assaulting Flt Lt S.S. Dhillon (retd) on the GT Road. The incident took place on November 29 at 11.30 p.m. In his complaint to the police, Mr Dhillon said that he along with his wife and children, was coming from Jalandhar. When they approached the Sutlej bridge at toll tax barrier, a white Esteem car (PB 36 A 9001) stopped behind them and two persons pulled him out of his car, accusing him of not driving properly. One of the persons, who identified himself as SHO police station Phagwara, started beating him with lathis along with the other person. He alleged that two of
the police sentries, who were deployed at the barricade
near the toll tax did not stop the SHO and his
accomplice. |
||
Restoration of Quila Mubarak
'faulty' PATIALA, Dec 2—The Punjabi Vikas Manch yesterday urged the Punjab Government to take immediate steps to gauge the damage afflicted on Quila Mubarak due to 'unprofessional' restoration and give the work of its restoration of the quila to professional organisation. In a statement here, manch convener Satinder Singh claimed officers who had been assigned with the job of undertaking restoration and cleaning work in the quila under the previous Congress regime had done more harm than good. A thorough inquiry should be made into the various works done during this period as well as the financial loss caused to the state exchequer. Mr Satinder Singh alleged steps were afoot to install the same officers who had failed in their duty earlier at senior positions in the state Culture Department. Quila Mubarak had
immense historical significance as it was a chronicle of
the Phulkian dynasty and a unique amalgamation of Rajput
and Mughal architecture. |
||
Municipal income may increase HOSHIARPUR, Dec 2 — The annual income of the 142 municipal councils and municipal corporations of Punjab likely to be increased from Rs 350 crore to Rs 750 crore during the current financial year due to effective measures taken by the government. Out of which Rs 350 crore to be spent on development works. This was stated by Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Local Bodies Minister, Punjab, while talking to mediapersons here yesterday. He said in order to maintain streetlights in the cities, offers were invited from private parties. The parties had offered Rs 6 to Rs 7 for per point on monthly basis whereas PSEB was charging Rs 13 for its maintenance. Mr Tandon said maintenance of municipal parks in cities would be given to the industrial organisations. It was also decided that contractors would maintain the roads for at least three years. Regarding the appointments of the chairmen of the Improvement Trusts in the state he said it was decided that the trusts would remain separate units and the appointments would be done soon. He said a state level
experts committee had been constituted for development of
towns and cities. He said night sweeping service had been
introduced in the state. Regarding the disposal of solid
waste he said a unit would be set up at Jalandhar which
would transform waste into fertiliser. |
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Tax officials told to be
honest CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, while reviewing the performance of Excise and Taxation Department has directed the senior officers to plug the leakage in the process of enforcement of sales tax and improve the image of the organisation by adopting honest and fair approach, according to a press note. The Chief Minister told
the officers the Government will not tolerate any laxity
in the collection of sales tax and excise duty. He said
the performance of the officers will be regularly
monitored and those performing better will be posted at
right places. |
||
Assurance given to NRI Sabha CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said the Urban Rent Control Act will be suitably amended to ensure the vacation of houses of NRIs in the State from illegal possession, according to a press note. At a meeting with the NRIs Sabha President and the office-bearers, the Chief Minister said an amendment has already been made in the Security of Land Tenancy Act and instructions will be issued to get the lands of NRIs vacated under a time-bound programme in the cases settled under parameters of law. It was suggested at the meeting that special courts for settling the cases of NRIs should be set up for speedy trial of their cases. The NRI Sabha will
organise its fourth convention in January. Five state
awards would be given to distinguished NRIs for their
significant contribution in respective fields. |
||
Literate Punjab in 2 yrs: Badal CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Punjab will achieve the goal of total literacy in the State within two years with active involvement of various governmental and non-governmental voluntary organisations. It was resolved at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, according to a press note. It was also decided that the literacy programme will be conducted under the over all supervision of the deputy commissioners. A state level award will be instituted for deputy commissioner showing excellent results in this vital field of human resource development. With a view to stepping up vocational education in Government schools, it was decided to cover 200 more schools by the end of next year. The Chief Minister also asked the Education Department to take immediate steps for filling the vacant posts in government schools. The Chief Minster said
at the meeting that a sum of Rs 5 crore more would be
made available to the Education Department out of the
profit earned by the cooperative banks besides giving
additional funds by increasing education cess on liquor. |
||
Record production of mushroom
likely CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Haryana expects to achieve a record production of 3600 tonnes of mushroom during 1999-2000 as against 2850 tonnes during the last year. Stating this here today, a spokesman of the Horticulture Department said the state was fast emerging as a leader in the field of mushroom production. He said the main mushroom growing districts were Sonepat, Karnal, Panipat, Gurgaon, Ambala, Yamunanagar and Panchkula. He said the mushroom
cultivation was labour intensive and generated employment
for specific group of small and marginal farmers and
educated youth. |
||
Badal flays attack on dera CHANDIGARH, Dec 2 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has condemned the attack on a dera at Dhakki Sahib in Ludhiana district by a group of miscreants today. In a statement issued here, he said such acts of hooliganism were against the ethos of our heritage. The Chief Minister
directed the DIG, Ludhiana range, and the SSP, Khanna, to
identify the culprits involved in the incident and take
stringent action against them. He also appealed people to
maintain calm and not to be misled by propaganda. |
||
2 Pak intruders arrested GURDASPUR, Dec 2 —Dorangala police in this district arrested two Pakistan intruders yesterday while they were attempting to sneak into the Indian territory from across the border. According to Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, the accused had been identified as Faquir Hussain and Karamat Ali, both residents of district Shekhupura in Pakistan. Some Pak currency was also seized from them. In another case the Sujanpur police arrested Sanjeev Kumar, alias Rinku, and recovered 45 kg stolen brass wire from his possession. Minister attends food |
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Inspectors’ bhog ROPAR, Dec 2 — Raja Narinder Singh, Public Health Minister, Punjab, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, MP from Ropar and hundreds of persons from all walks of life today attended the “antim ardas” of Balbir Singh Rai, Inspector, Food and Supply, and a brother of former Congress MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, Mr Shamsher Singh Rai, and Harpal Singh, another Inspector, Food and Supply at the Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib complex here. Balbir Singh Rai and Harpal Singh were killed in an accident on November 23 near Bharatgarh village. Among others who paid tributes to the deceased were Mr Tarlochan Singh Rana, District Secretary of the CPM; Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, a former Punjab Minister, Mrs Satwant Kaur Sandhu, MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, and Mrs Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, a former MP from Ropar. Raja Narinder Singh, on
behalf of the state government, assured full help to the
bereaved families. |
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