Wednesday, February 10, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Wednesday, February 10, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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CM blamed for deadlock |
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Probe
sought into road carpeting A
multi-purpose vatika Plan
to eradicate waterlogging 1493
procurement centres planned |
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CM blamed for deadlock AMRITSAR, Feb 9 — Giving reasons for the failure of efforts to bring about a rapproachment among warring Akali stalwarts, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), the SAD (Democratic) and the SAD (Panthic), respectively, blamed Mr Parkash Singh Badal for the same. They said the Chief Minister laid the pre-condition that the "hukamnama" issued by the Sikh clergy on December 31 should be withdrawn. Addressing a joint press conference here today, the heads of three Akali factions who had initiated mediation efforts on their own alleged that both Mr Badal and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC chief, had violated the "hukamnama" which had resulted in the present sorry state of affairs. Earlier, the three leaders held a closed-door meeting with Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, and briefed him on their talks with Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The three told mediapersons that while Mr Badal was "diplomatic", the attitude of Mr Tohra was "conciliatory". While Mr Mann felt that he saw no hope for a reconciliation, Mr Wadala said there was still a "ray of hope" that Mr Badal would see reason and avoid a confrontation with Akal Takht. Sounding a note of warning, they said the unceremonious removal of Bhai Ranjit Singh ignoring Sikh tradition would be "suicidal" for the Badal faction, and would cast a shadow on his government. They said the Akal Takht Jathedar could be removed through a set procedure keeping in view Panthic traditions. If Mr Badal resorted to "anti Panthic" or "undemocratic" means to remove Bhai Ranjit Singh, "history would not forgive him", they warned. Installation of any other Jathedar in place of Bhai Ranjit Singh by 10 members of the SGPC executive owing allegiance to Mr Badal would not be acceptable to the Panth and would be dubbed as a "sarkari Jathedar." Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode said his "unceremonious" removal by the SGPC executive as Akal Takht chief in 1988 should not be considered a precedent, adding that the Jathedar of Akal Takht could be installed and removed only with the consent of Sikh bodies and Sikh institutions. The decision on removal of the Jathedar should be taken by "Sarbat Khalsa", he said. Mr Mann, Mr Wadala and Bhai Rode said in case the Badal group took any "anti-Panthic" step for removing Bhai Ranjit Singh, they would side with Akal Takht and not allow anyone to lower its dignity. In a significant statement, Mr Wadala said there were efforts to forge unity among the SAD (Amritsar), the SAD Panthic and democratic parties in the larger interests of the Sikh Panth. They condemned the
"entry" of the police in to the SGPC complex in
plain clothes. They said though Mr Badal had denied the
"police entry", his officers had made claims to
the contrary. |
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Tohra's plea to be taken up today CHANDIGARH, Feb 9 — The SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today questioned in the Punjab and Haryana High Court the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission order dated February 3 directing him to convene a meeting of the Executive Committee of the SGPC tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Guru Nanak Nivas in Amritsar to discuss the programme of the Khalsa Panth’s 300th birth anniversary celebrations. Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Amar Datt, before whom the petition came up for hearing, issued notice to the state of Punjab and the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission, apart from 12 S.G.P.C. members for tomorrow. The Judges directed that the petition would be taken up at 10 a.m. — one hour before the start of the meeting. The commission also directed the SGPC Executive Committee to find an amicable solution to disputes among the Jathedars (Singh Sahibans) of different Takhts, apart from discussing an application moved by 131 SGPC members requesting the Akal Takht Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, to withdraw his hukamnama asking the Tohra and the Badal factions to stop their infighting till April 14 — the day the 300th birth celebrations of the Khalsa Panth would be over. In his petition Mr Tohra stated that the Judicial Commission committed a grave illegality in order of the SGPC President to convene a meeting o the Executive Committee. Under the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission Act, the commission did not have any power to issue such directions. He claimed that convening of a meeting of the Executive Committee was the sole discretion of the SGPC chief and depended upon his personal satisfaction. He added that the Act categorically envisaged that a seven-day notice should be given to members of the Executive Committee. He told the court that he had already summoned a meeting of the Executive Committee on February 15, for which notices had already been despatched by registered post. The petitioner added that the commission committed a grave error in directing the Executive Committee to discuss and reach an amicabe solution to the dispute. Mr Tohra told the court that the provisions of the commission clearly envisaged that its function was to ensure that the administration of the gurdwaras, utilisation of funds, protection of properties and the performance of religious ceremonies were done according to the established rules, maryada and provisions of the Act and for the welfare of the Sikh religion and the mankind in general. The petition added that never in the past were such disputes brought to the notice of the body's Executive Committee or the general body. Mr Tohra further submitted
that the authority of the commission had been
circumscribed and limited by the provisions of the Act.
He had no authority to give directions to the authorities
established under the statute. |
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CM: critics of police action
proved wrong PHAGWARA, Feb 9 — Punjab Chief Minister and SAD president Parkash Singh Badal maintained here today that those who had launched a "disinformation" drive against the government with their refrain that "police entry" into the Golden Temple complex should end had been proved wrong with the observation by Giani Mohan Singh, Head Granthi, Darbar Sahib, that no police had entered the complex. Talking to mediapersons at the local Guru Nanak College, Mr Badal said the DGP, Mr P.C. Dogra, had only said four policemen in plain clothes had gone to discuss with the SGPC the arrangements for tomorrow's executive committee meeting. He declared that terrorism would not be allowed to raise its head. "We are committed to preserving peace and harmony at any cost," he emphasised. Commenting on CPM's proposed "karza mukti andolan", Mr Badal said the party had never given cooperation on Punjab issues and the programme was "politically motivated". On Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia's claim that the Badal government had not got anything from the Centre, he said: "We have secured so many things for Punjab that neither the Congress during its 45-year-rule nor Mr Ramoowalia and his friends could ever get for the state". He denied any Punjab issue had been put on the backburner. Addressing the annual prize distribution function at G.N. College, Mr Badal said stress must be laid on vocational education. He announced Rs 5 lakh as grant for the college and gave away prizes to meritorious students. The Education Minister and Mr Jagat Singh Palahi, college president, welcomed him. Principal Inderjit Singh read out the college report. Mr Badal was felicitated with a silver plaque and a shawl. Lauding the efforts of Mr
Vijay Chopra, Editor-in-Chief, Hind Samachar Group of
newspapers, for starting "kar seva" of Durgiana
Mandir at Amritsar, the Chief Minister said both his
government and party would fully cooperate in the cause. |
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News analysis CHANDIGARH, Feb 9 — Is it a simple power game between two stalwarts of the Akali movement or does it transcend into the domain of ideology? This question is being asked increasingly in Punjab. Indeed for some time, it did look that both the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, are involved in a simple power play to outwit each other. But the Panthic agenda announced by Akal Takht head priest, Bhai Ranjit Singh, has brought forward certain basic issues. The issues, which the head priest later spelt in his letter to Mr Badal, centre around the fact that Sikhs are a separate "qaum" and there is a need to amend the constitution to incorporate this. Secondly, there should be a separate Sikh personal law. Both issues have been under debate for many years and the ruling Akali Dal made a clear departure from its much publicised Moga conference in 1995. The conference talked about greater autonomy and a genuine federal India and spoke feelingly for Punjabi identity and Punjabiat. It reaped huge dividends too at the hustings. So clearly two strains of thought at the political plane have emerged. Bhai Ranjit Singh, while defining his agenda for the tercentenary celebrations, has underlined that he was neither asking for a Sikh homeland nor for a Khalistan and was for harmony. Mr Tohra evidently backs him. This means Mr Tohra has travelled away from the Moga declaration and the Akali manifestoes, one for the Assembly polls and the other for the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Badal who heads the Akali Dal has summoned his Political Affairs Committee to articulate suitable counter position to this agenda. He and his group of Akalis have a clear choice — either to accept the panthic agenda or to stick to the Moga declaration. If Mr Badal rejects the panthic agenda, he has to accept the challenge thrown by the head priest and Mr Tohra. Yet at another level, the Akalis have come to power using electoral means and have to adhere to democratic norms and electoral parameters. Happily whenever the communal parties are mentioned either by the media or in parliament, the Akalis are not always equated with either the Shiv Sena, the Bajrang Dal or rabid Muslim politicians. They have much to fall back upon the non violent traditions of their struggle right from 1920 onwards. Except during small phases of Babbar Akalis or extreme militants during the eighties, the struggle has been peaceful. Mr Badal has been telling his supporters that this image has to be zealously guarded. In fact, in this onward struggle, he has not many choices, but to confront the line of the panthic agenda. One question being asked is why Mr Badal did not react immediately to the pronouncements and accusations of Bhai Ranjit Singh. His strategy was to bid time and give no cause to Bhai Ranjit Singh to summon him. The plan is first to remove Bhai Ranjit Singh and give charge to a priest of "moderate views" and then confront the new agenda. Hence, the meeting on February 11. Mr Badal has clearly before him the well published political programme and he could have just reiterated it. He chose to push the responsibility to his colleagues too. Here, the role of certain institutions too has to be redefined. Mr Badal leads the government and the Akali Dal and also heads the panel that is to lead the tercentenary celebrations in April. There is also a charge that he has mixed politics with religion and has made the government subservient to the celebrations and has also taken the help of the government in the inner party struggle. While constitutionally the roles are well defined, but some degree of overlapping is always there. Yet, Mr Badal has invited this charge, legitimate to a large extent. The same way, Mr Tohra who heads the SGPC, another institution created by an act of Parliament, and Akal Takht, which too finds a good deal of mention in the All-India Gurdwara Act, has made good use of these. A good section of the Akali Dal feels that Mr Tohra has been constantly falling back on the SGPC and Akal Takht to settle his scores. There is a kind of debate that these institutions should remain under their well defined parameters. The separation of powers doctrine should function here too. But why is this not working so clearly as some people expect? One reason is that the Akali Dal draws its sustnance from religion. So how could it run away from it? Another point made here is that religion could guide politics, but religious leaders should keep aloof and should not offer their own political agenda. The danger of mixing religions with politics is that it tends to denegrate into rabid communal field. Mr Badal is now realising this to his discomfiture. But sooner or later the
Akalis have to define their political goals and stop this
practice of having one agenda for the elections and
another for governance. The grey area has to be reduced
and this would require a healthy debate to define the
role of all the political and religious institutions. |
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Seeds of militancy sown: Dayal SANGRUR, Feb 9 — Dr Joginder Dayal, secretary, Punjab State Council of the Communist Party of India, talking to mediapersons here today, said the "quami agenda" announced by Bhai Ranjit Singh, Akal Takht Jathedar, had sown the seeds of militancy and separatism. Stress on Sikhs as a separate nation as also Sikh personal law were moves in this direction. Dr Dayal urged Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president, SGPC, to explain whether he stood for this agenda. Dr Dayal said peace must be maintained. The Golden Temple should not be allowed to be used by anti-national forces. It was the duty of the SGPC to maintain the temple sanctity. On the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, Dr Dayal said the government and political parties should not take up any religious agenda as it moved their secular character. He said the tercentenary celebrations had divided the clergy, the Akalis and even the Congress. He stressed that politics and religion should be kept apart. Later, Dr Dayal and former
member of Parliament Bhan Singh Bhaura, along with other
party leaders, addressed a rally at Dhuri. |
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Police entry aimed at
"arrest" of Jathedar JALANDHAR, Feb 9 — Police entry into the Golden Temple is a "rehearsal" for arresting the Akal Takht Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, before February 11 — the day he had summoned Mr Barjinder Singh Hamdard and Prof Manjit Singh to Akal Takht — local members of the SGPC alleged here today. The members, Mr Saroop Singh Dhesi and Mr Surjit Singh Cheema, alleged it was unfortunate that the SAD (Badal) was indulging in acts for which the party had blamed the Congress in the past. Reminding the Chief Minister of his reaction to the police entry into the Golden Temple during the regime of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, when several ministers resigned in protest, the SGPC members urged the leaders who believed in the "Akali ideology" to stand in solidarity with Akal Takht. They castigated Mr Badal
for following unscrupulous policies to further his family
political interests. |
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Joint project to tame Ghaggar CHANDIGARH, Feb 9 — People living in villages located along the banks of the Ghaggar — that has started causing floods more often than not — will now, hopefully, be able to live without fear from the waters. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Punjab Irrigation department have joined hands in a Rs 27-crore project to tame the river and the numerous choes that drain into it. In the past decade, the flow of water in the Ghaggar has been breaching embankments and damaging crops across thousands of hectares in Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur in Punjab. Each year farmers were promised help, and the story invariably repeats itself during monsoons when thousands of cusecs of water cascades down the Ghaggar and the choes that join it. NABARD, which has sanctioned a sum of Rs 25 crore for the project, is aiming at construction of embankments, re-sectioning of drains, construction of pucca structures and even making a pair of drains on the border of the two districts to divert the water away from the Bhakra Main Line Canal (BML). The entire project, which will benefit farmers across one lakh acres of land along the river, is scheduled for completion by June next year, according to estimates of NABARD officials. The officials have found out that the river has a capacity of 75,000 cusecs of water in the upper reaches of Rajpura tehsil and about 55,000 cusecs in Ghanauri in Patiala. The river flows through a total of 165 km in Punjab before entering Haryana near Sardulgarh. In recent years, the existing embankments and structures have been washed away. Giving out information about the project, the Chief General Manager, NABARD, Mr N.R. Kannan, said the funds had been allocated under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). Agriculture inputs will not increase unless infrastructure is developed, he opined. One of the major aspects of the massive project is the making of a pair of drains, each having a length of 2.5 km, along both banks of the Ghaggar. This will benefit a total of 22 villages located in Patran block of Patiala and Moonak block in Sangrur. At this point the Ghaggar crosses the BML and the water covers the villages for days. These drains will carry away the excess water, as per the plan. An aqueduct having a capacity to carry 35,000 cusecs of water was constructed during the fifties. Since then the aqueduct has choked while an illegal bundh to divert water downstream through another aqueduct that has a capacity to handle only 15,000 cusecs of water. The water simply does not cross the BML, thus causing flooding. The Technical Consultant of NABARD, Mr B.S. Sandhu, says right now there is no control over the waters of the Ghaggar. The project of ‘jacketing the river’ will definitely help farmers and the people of Punjab, adds Mr Sandhu, who is a former Chief Engineer of the Irrigation department of Punjab. In the project embankments are to be constructed on the Ghaggar, the Tangri, the Markanda, the Patialawali choe, the Jhambowali choe and the Lehragagga drain bandhs. These rivers and choes will be re-sectioned also. Scheduled for
re-sectioning are the Miranpur choe and the Baretta
drainage system. Pucca structures along bridges, inlets
and regulators will be built at 12 places. |
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Probe sought into road carpeting SAS NAGAR, Feb 9 — Residents of a pocket in Phase XI here have complained to the authorities about the poor quality of work on roads in the area got done by the Municipal Council. The residents of 16-marla houses said in a written complaint to the Secretary, Local Government, that laying of the premix carpet on roads was done in the first week of January when the weather was foggy. They said the roads were not cleaned properly and nor were cuts in them filled up and levelled in the right manner. As a result, they said, parts of roads started breaking or subsiding within 20 days of the completion of work on them by the Municipal Council contractor. Mr Prem Singh Gill (house no. 2469) told The Tribune today that adequate and good quality material had not been used on the roads. Work on inner roads was usually done after five years, he said, and wondered what the condition would be after that period if after merely 20 days the roads had started to break. He said the level of the road in front of his house was not right and rain water collected in front of various houses. Mrs Harjinder Kaur (house no. 2464) said she had got a sewer connection before the premix work on the road was done so that digging could be avoided later. However, the cut in the road was not properly filled up, resulting in road damage in front of her house. Mr Amrik Singh, Municipal Councillor of the area, demanded a probe into the matter and action against the guilty officials. The Executive Officer, Mr K.S. Brar, claimed that road work was stopped in January. Not much deficiency in the road work in Phase XI had been noticed. Payments to the contractor concerned had not been made yet and wherever the work was not up to the mark it would be got done again, he assured. Officials of the
council’s engineering wing blamed residents for
damaging roads by directing water on these after washing
cars and courtyards. They said such water seeped in
resulting in road damage. The level of roads was such as
to facilitate draining away of rain water through road
gullies. Moreover, they said, the base of the roads,
which was built by PUDA earlier, was not strong enough
and more sand-filling was needed. |
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A multi-purpose vatika FEROZEPORE: To give a facelift to the surrounding areas of this border town and provide a place of recreation to the local population, the Golden Arrow Division has set up the Golden Arrow Vatika at the Kasubegu Army firing range, situated on the Ferozepore-Muktsar road, 10 km away from here. The nearly 27-year-old firing range is spread over an area of about 500 acres, with a 6-km-long perimeter. The area was infested with thick sarkanda undergrowth and devoid of trees. Afforestation was a daunting task and a challenge worth taking. An Army unit of Khemkaran Brigade was given the overall responsibility to execute the project. The work of levelling of the area opposite "A" Firing Butt was selected, being the most undulating and difficult one. Dozers supplemented with tractor-trailors filled the man-made depressions in the area. A total of 400 tractor-trailor loads were transported with the help of the military farm and voluntary civilian effort. An Engineers Regiment took upon the responsibility of installing tubewells. Two tubewells have been commissioned out of the four sanctioned. Water channels connecting over 50,000 saplings, to be planted, have been made. The work on the project commenced on January 7 this year and the same was inaugurated by Major-Gen K.C. Padha on February 1. Over 2,000 saplings were planted on the inaugural day. Poplars have been chosen as the main tree because of its fast growth. In addition to the poplars, other trees like the neem, shisham, casia guluca, shatoot, mango, guava, amla, palm and bottle brush will be planted. The saplings for the vatika have come through voluntary donations by Army units and from the headquarters. The bulk have come through senior citizens from in and around Ferozepore. The target fixed for planting the saplings will be achieved by February-end. To add to the environment a tastefully constructed hut, Golden Arrow Vatika Kutir, with a landscaped garden and an artistically designed artificial pond have been added. The vatika will be opened to the civilians on every Sunday when the range is not in use. Talking to The Tribune an Army officer concerned said the aim of setting up the Golden Arrow Vatika was to encourage environmental awareness and introduce the younger generation to the flora and fauna. It will also provide shade and comfort to the troops carrying out training, additional protection to the civilians in the surrounding areas and greater camouflage and concealment during operations. Besides, it will attract rare birds and animals. The Army men are confident
that the range will be converted into a wildlife
sanctuary in the years to come. Futuristic plans include
the creation of saplings to plant over one crore trees
over the next three years. |
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Plan to eradicate waterlogging MANSA, Feb 9 — The Punjab Government has sent a new Rs 69 crore scheme to NABARD for its approval for eradication of waterlogging in the state. While announcing this at a function organised at Khokhar Kalan village near here today in connection with the inauguration of lift scheme for draining out water of low-lying areas, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, MP, said out of Rs 69 crore a sum of Rs 18 crore would be spent in this district alone. He said in Punjab about two lakh hectare area had been rendered unfit for agriculture due to waterlogging. In order to make it cultivable Rs 72 crore had been sanctioned by NABARD which was being spent for this purpose. He added the Punjab Government would launch a special exercise under which the construction of new drains, cleaning of existing drains and installation of deep tubewells would be carried out for the eradication of waterlogging. Mr Bhunder Singh about
three more schemes were being prepared for draining out
water from low-lying areas and irrigating those patches
of land where water was not reaching yet. |
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1493 procurement centres
planned CHANDIGARH, Feb 9 — As many as 68 lakh tonnes of wheat will be procured by the Government agencies in Punajb during the procurement season, according to an estimate prepared by the Punjab Food and Supply Department. Addressing a press conference in this connection, the Punjab Food and Supply Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, said here today that about 70 lakh tonnes of wheat was expected to arrive in the markets in the state this year. Out of this two lakh tonnes would be procured by traders as per the indications available. The State Agriculture Department has estimated a production of 140 lakh tonnes of wheat this year which would be 20 lakh tonnes more than the production last year. Mr Mittal said that last year the state Government agencies had procured 63 lakh tonnes of wheat. Already, allocation for the procurement of wheat has been made. According to Mr Mittal, the FCI, a Central Government agency, will have a share of 33 per cent in the total procurement while the Food and Supply Department would procure 13 per cent. Markfed and PUNSUP would procure 18 per cent each of the total arrival in the state markets during the procurement season. Punjab Warehouse and Punjab Agro Industries Corporation has been allocated a share of 11 and 7 per cent, respectively. Mr Mittal said that his department would like all agencies to be ready for procurement operations from March 15. He said that there was a proposal to set up as many as 1493 procurement centres in the state. These include existing permanent markets in various towns and cities. Already, the Punjab Agriculture Marketing Board had approved 910 such centres but the Food and Supply Department had asked the board to approve about 600 more such centres. Mr Mittal said that he would like that all formalities and arrangements for starting the procurement in the centres ought to be completed by March 15. He said that his department had written to Punjab Agriculture Marketing Board in this connection. He said that Deputy
Commissioners had been authorised to allocate various
procurement centres to various government agencies. The
DCs would be assisted by District Food and Supply
Controllers and heads of other procurement agencies at
the district-level in this connection. |
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Two children killed ABOHAR, Feb 9 — Two children were brutally killed last night in Azimgarh locality. Sources said Mr Banwari Lal Kumhar had gone to invite his relatives fo the marriages of this two younger brothers. The marriages were to be solemnised on February 18. In his absence his two sons Devi Lal (8) and Rajinder Kumar (15) were sleeping in a room along with another minor female child. Women were busy in singing wedding songs in the adjoining room. The grandfather of the children Mr Assa Ram, a construction worker, entered the room but found both boys missing. This was after 10.30 p.m., he said. A search was conducted in other parts of the house and outside. Finally, the bodies of the two boys were found in the neighbouring house which was used by Mani Ram for dairy farming.The bodies of Devi Lal and Rajinder Kumar were lying in a pool of blood. The two were apparently killed with some sharp-edged weapon. There were also sings indicating that the minor boys were first strangled then stabbed as the residents had not heard any cries. The police was informed at midnight. The DSP, Mr Gurmit Singh Randhawa, and the SHO visited the site and started investigations. The inconsolable Banwari Lal told newspersons he neither had any enimity with anyone nor had recently had any fight with anyone. He was unable to comprehend the motive of the cruel killer. The incident sent shock waves in the locality. The bodies were handed
over to the father after conducting a post-mortem
examination at the civil hospital here this afternoon. |
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Employees flay govt attitude JALANDHAR, Feb 9 — The Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI) has strongly condemned the attitude of the Haryana Government in victimisation of board employees in the state. In a telegram to the Chief Minister it urged the government to end every kind of victimisation in the state. Mr H.S. Minhas,
vice-president of the EEFI, disclosed here yesterday that
the EEFI had called upon all electricity employees and
workers of the country to observe February 11 as protest
day in solidarity with electricity employees of Haryana.
It has also condemned the attitude of the UP Government
towards the demands of engineers and workers and has
extended full support to them. |
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Plea to withdraw TADA cases JALANDHAR, Feb 9 — The All-India Peoples' Resistance Forum (AIPRF) has launched a countrywide campaign against state repression on people's movements in Andhra Pradesh, Dandakaranya and Bihar which, according to the AIPRF, are "patriotic movements to save country and the people against the imperialist onslaught. Mr Darshan Pal, President, and Mr G.N. Saibaba, general secretary of the forum, said in a press conference here yesterday that the campaign started on February 5 with a protest dharna at Sangrur. They said the campaign would go on for three months. Protest dharnas, rallies, public meetings would mark the campaign. They demanded that repression on people should be stopped immediately. They maintained that these movements were democratic in nature. They asked the Punjab
Government to withdraw TADA cases against hundreds of
Sikh youth who had been languishing in various jails. |
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Plea for legislation on nursing
homes BATHINDA, Feb 9 — Mr Hardev Arshi, MLA and leader of the CPI group in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to introduce a legislation in the House at the earliest to regulate the working of private nursing homes. In a letter written to Mr Badal, Mr Arshi has pointed out he knew the number of instances where government doctors had opened private clinics and nursing homes in the name of their family members. He added that such doctors were least interested in performing their duties seriously and hence patients were forced to get treatment at these private homes. He said a majority of private nursing homes were grossly violating the medical ethics by employing untrained staff and charging heavily from the patients. He added neglect of patients and unavailability of medicines in government hospitals were forcing the poor section of society to get expensive treatment in private homes. He also urged the Chief Minister to make it clear whether the loan of Rs 85,00 crore had been really waived of by the central government in toto or only payment of some instalments had been deferred for the time being. He said a clarification in
this regard would satisfy the curiosity of the denizens
of Punjab and it would also help in establishing the
credibility of the state government. |
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Erring chemists warned ABOHAR, Feb 9 — The Punjab State Chemists Association has asked its members to identify those selling drugs without the prescription of qualified doctors. Mr R.D. Gupta, president of the state association, addressing a seminar hosted by the local Wholesale Chemists Association here today said that certain chemists were bringing bad name to the profession by selling intoxicants to the youth without proper prescriptions. Mr Gupta assured the member traders that strict action would be initiated against the errant chemists with the help of the Health Department. He urged the state government to fill vacancies of drug inspectors. Mr Gupta asked the members
to shun companies supplying substandard drugs, and
requested the Health Department to screen the
applications before granting licence to pharmaceutical
companies. |
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Vimla Dang seeks probe into
robbery AMRITSAR, Feb 9 — A former CPI MLA, Ms Vimla Dang, has sought CBI probe into a robbery in which the culprits decamped with gold jewellery in 1997. Ms Dang in a letter to the senior aide of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, copies of which were released to the press here yesterday, stated that a big safe containing the jewellery was stolen from the house of Meharaj of Bhakna village on January 17, 1997. Residents of the village had identified the culprits and in spite of the interrogation by different police invetigating teams, she alleged that all persons who were interrogated were later released. The matter was taken up
with the then Union Home Minister, Mr Inderjit Gupta, who
had directed the DGP of Punjab for a speedy and impartial
inquiry. Ms Dang added that a couple of months ago, the
then SSP, Mr P.S. Gill, claimed that a major portion of
the jewellery was recovered and expressed the hope that
the remaining part would soon be recovered, but nothing
happened, thereafter. |
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