Friday, January 8, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, January 8, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Takht chief
urged to review edict Calcutta
clarifies |
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A
cantonment that has no peer Plea
to hand over mills case to CVC Farm
vigilance cells for Punjab PYC
nominations after Jan 6 Red
Cross wing adopts orphans, kids |
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Takht chief urged to review
edict PATIALA, Jan 7 — Punjab Pradesh Congress General Secretary Birdevinder Singh today appealed to Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh to review the edict against the Nirankaris so that they could participate in the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Birdevinder Singh said the appeal was a reiteration of the feelings of state Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh that the tercentenary celebrations should work towards healing old wounds and uniting the entire Sikh community. Mr Birdevinder Singh said the Nirankaris were welcome to participate in the celebrations being organised by the Congress party. However, when asked whether the Nirankari chief or other members of the sect were being invited on the lines of invitations being sent out to heads of religious organisations, he said this was not being done as issue involved the sensibilities of the Sikhs and the Congress wanted the Akal Takht jathedar to take an initiative on it. The Congress leader held the Akal Takht jathedar responsible for the ongoing confrontation in the Akali Dal. He said the jathedar should not have played in the hands of the SGPC chief by issuing a hukamnama which sought to guard the latter's interests only. He further said that all the five Takht jathedars should be involved in issuing hukamnamas and it should not be the prerogative of the Akal Takht chief only. Mr Birdevinder Singh said the role of Akal Takht jathedar in stopping other two Takht jathedars from participating in the tercentenary celebrations was wrong. He also castigated the Akal Takht jathedar for criticising a leading newspaper group which had only written about distortions in a book. "The people have a right to know this", he added. The Congress leader also announced the date of the 'Degh tegh fateh sarbans dani yatra' which he said would start from April 9 from Anandpur Sahib and culminate on April 13 at Damdama Sahib. He said following that the yatra would proceed to Haryana and from there to other states. When asked whether this changed Congress Vice-President Jagmeet Brar's entire programme, according to which the yatra was to start from Muktsar on January 14, Mr Birdevinder said Mr Brar's programme had been changed by the implementation committee so that the yatra could be held on a larger scale. He, however, maintained this was not a rebuff to Mr Brar and that the latter would be involved in the staging of the march. According to the march schedule, it will start from Anandpur Sahib on April 9 and halt at Fatehgarh Sahib for the night. The yatra would halt at Alamgir and Muktsar Sahib before culminating on April 14 at Damdama Sahib. Mr Birdevinder Singh said on April 15 the march would reach Patiala following which it will enter Haryana. The Congress leader said the march would be led by the 'dashmesh jyoti', which would be brought from Patna Sahib and the shastras (weapons) of Guru Gobind Singh which were in the possession of Capt Amarinder Singh, the Nabha royal house and the Bagrian family. He said the jyoti would be established at Hazoor Sahib at Nanded after the march. Detailing the other
programmes, Mr Birdevinder Singh said an inter-faith
conference would be held in which the Pope, the Dalai
Lama, a representative from Mecca, the Shankaracharya and
other religious heads would be invited. He said five
blood donation camps would also be held in the memory of
Bhai Kanhaiya. |
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Calcutta clarifies AMRITSAR, Jan 7 (UNI) — Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Senior Secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta, a Tohra loyalist, today alleged that his recent comments on the status of Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district had been wrongly interpreted by those who were opposing the hukamnama (edict) issued by Akal Takht calling for a halt to the in-fighting in the ruling Akali Dal (Badal) till April 15. In a statement issued here, he said that as per the Sikh traditions only Akal Takht Jathedar has the jurisdiction and powers to issue a hukamnama in consultation with the 'Panj Payaras'. The 'Panj-Payara' panel which included Akal Takht Jathedar can comprise any four Sikhs who were baptised and follow and believe in Sikh 'maryada' (tradition), the statement said. The statement said that those who were advocating that only the five Sikh high priests who represented the five takhts have the powers to issue a hukamnama while misleading the Sikh community. Besides Akal Takht the other four takhts were: Keshgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib), Damdama Sahib, Takht Patna Sahib, the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh and Takht Hazoor Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra. Regarding the controversy of Takht Damdama Sabib, Mr Manjit Singh said that it was in 1963 that this was given recognition as a Takht by the SGPC, but it had not yet been recognised as a Takht as per the Sikh Gurdwara Act. The SGPC had time and again passed resolutions in its general house meetings asking the union government to make the necessary amendments in the Act to include Damdama Sahib as a Takht, the statement said. Pointing out that hukamnamas had been issued prior to 1963, the statement wondered how these edicts had been accepted by the Sikhs. In recent years too a number of hukamnamas had been issued from Akal Takht in consultation with the 'Panj-Payara' panel which did not comprise the heads of all the five Sikh takhts, the statement added. The statement clarified
that the January 4 statement issued by Manjit Singh was
not aimed at lowering the dignity of Takht Damdama Sahib. |
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A cantonment that has no
peer JALANDHAR: Situated right on G.T. Road, Jalandhar is one of the oldest and biggest cantonments in the country. Its history can be traced from 1865 when it was raised as a garrison by Col. G.W. Bishop. Since then it has housed troops of different Corps and regiments commanded by senior Army officers, including the present Government of Punjab. Jalandhar is home to the most prestigious Corps with over 22,000 officers and other personnel at its headquarters. This beautifully laid out cantonment has the Army's most prestigious formation which has brought laurels in all the three wars fought since Independence. Troops from various units and regiments comprising various castes live together happily in total cohesiveness and as a well-knit team. Life in the cantonment is an example of unity in diversity. The quality of life in this cantonment has to be seen to be believed. There is Vajra Vatika (the cafeteria-cum-motivation hall) coupled with a large number of CSD canteens. Besides, there is a shopping complex and shops run by the AWWA, sports complexes, a gymnasium and swimming pool are the few facilities to mention, apart from a golf course, which is a paradise for retired Army officers. Now an Astro-turf stadium is being constructed, which will add to its glory. There are excellent facilities available to families of all ranks. These include separate ML rooms, ration stands, MES door-to-door service, and grocery shops. Every family complex has its own security guard with telephones installed wherein families can speak to their husbands serving in far-flung areas on the border. The Vajra motivation hall, a museum of artefacts and historical documents of the Vajra 11 Corps, housed in a old building, has a vast collection of photographs, artefacts, newspaper clippings, flags of Indian and Pakistani army formations that took part in the battles of Khem Karan, Dogri, Assal Uttar and Barki. Some captured weapons, too, have found a place of pride in it. The museum as conceived and inaugurated on October 17, 1996, by Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala. The present Army commander is a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The best part of Jalandhar station is that all ranks live together in harmony and everyone participates in all functions as a family. No wonder, every soldier wishes to have one posting in this fabulous cantonment. Lieut-Gen K. Davar is G.O.C. of the prestigious Vajra Corps and Brig Surjit Singh the station commander. The museum is open to all visitors as a part of the O.P. Sahyog undertaken by the Army in the 50th year of Independence. As a Press team moved through the galleries it was acquainted with the operations undertaken by the Vajra Corps. The acts of valour performed by soldiers raises anyone's adrenalin. For those who were part of the history of the Vajra Corps, a visit to the museum is like a pilgrimage. The strength, ethos and
essence of Vajra Shakti lies in its historical past and
the edifices built. |
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NABARD, Irrigation dept move CHAK GUJRAN (Hoshiarpur), Jan 7 — This is a land criss-crossed by choes — a total of 38. During the monsoon huge quantities of water cascades down the Shivalik hills at furious speed through these choes. Along its way the water, more often than not, wreaks untold havoc. The story has been repeating itself for several years. Farmers, who were once well-off, were reduced to do manual labour or even pull rickshaws to feed their families as their fields were covered with silt. Things are now headed for a change. Though the houses in Chak Gujran village that were covered with silt from the breached Mhengrowal choe three years ago cannot be reclaimed, the farmers can now dream of going back to where they belong to: their fields, which could be reclaimed. Thanks are due to a multi-crore joint scheme of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Punjab Irrigation department, who have pooled in resources to bring about a turn around in the lives of the villagers of this district. A total of 23-km long embankments that were washed away have been reconstructed at various places in the district. Despite all work another 10 km- long embankments remain to be reconstructed. In the past 10 years a total of 33 km of man-made embankments of seven major choes have been washed away. This resulted in close to one lakh acres of land having been covered with silt and is lying unusable. No, or negligible, repairs could be carried out due to paucity of funds. NABARD has financed the project under the Rural Infrastructure Fund that was floated in 1995 by the then Finance Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. The Deputy General Manager of NABARD, Dr B.S. Yadava, says that the bank evaluates the proposal and then funds it. Technical expertise is provided by a body of senior engineers employed by the bank. So far, the resource crunch in Punjab has not stalled any instalment due on account of repayment of the loan, he said. Meanwhile , Gurbaksh Singh, a villager at Chak Gujran explained: "The construction of embankments will provide us with a chance to grow something after all these years. In the past three years nothing has grown and farmers have been doing odd jobs and even manual labour for survival". The newly built 1800-foot-long embankment will prevent waters of the choe from spilling on to the fields, thus helping farmers to grow crops on almost 1,200 acres of lands in Chak Gujran, located on the right bank of the Mhengrowal choe. The story of Fathegarh Niara and Khaluana villages is equally sad. A 850-foot wide breach in the Nasralla choe in 1988 had wiped out crops from more than 800 acres of land. Eversince, then nothing has grown as want of funds prevented repairs while villagers were reduced to paupers. The Executive Engineer, Drainage, Mr H.S. Dhaliwal, explained. "Due to the breach water used to spread like a vast sheet across the villages, thus damaging crops." The breaches are in the choes of Nasralla, Mhengrowal, Mehlanwalli, Arniala, Gambowal and Gangian, he said. Money brought in by NABARD under the RIDF scheme may have helped farmers in Hoshiarpur. However, a similar project to stop the fury of the meandering Sutluj will not benefit farmers of Dhulewal village, sitting on the left bank of the river. Located in Ludhiana district, several hundred acres of land in this village have been swallowed by the river that has been changing its course. Engineers of the Irrigation department with active financial support from NABARD have built a new embankment that will prevent the river from cutting into its left bank. However, there is no way that the land of the farmers can be reclaimed. A resident of the village Gurnam Singh, says: "I had 30 acres of land only six acres of it have been left. Farmers have become penniless and are facing huge debts. A few other villagers who met The Tribune reporter in the village said some kind of compensation should be paid to them in lieu of land. The new embankment will save around 50,000 acres of land that would have been lost, says the Executive Engineer of the project, Mr G.S. Wason. Without the embankment the river has the potential to flood areas right upto 10 km. A similar embankment has been built at Bela village in Ludhiana. Whether rivers and choes
could be tamed or not only time will tell. But the return
of joy on the faces of farmers after all these years is
to be seen. |
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Plea to hand over mills case to
CVC CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — Arguing before Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in the sugar mills case counsel for the Ganna Utpadak Sangharsh Committee, Dasuya, the original complainants in the case, pleaded for handing over the case either to the Central Vigilance Commission or the CBI or the court should direct filing of a challan against the accused persons. The case relates to the transfer of three cooperative sugar mills of Punjab to a private party and transferring their huge assets without paying anything, thus causing a loss of crores of rupees to shareholders and cane growers. Some ministers in the Beant Singh government and certain officers are alleged have been paid bribes for getting this done. Counsel submitted that when the Punjab Government officers saw that the Investigation Officer (I.O.), Mr Gurdarshan Singh, was able to collect evidence of wrongdoing, they put Mr Attri, I.G, to derail the investigation, who concluded that none other than Mr Karl Reddy was liable to be prosecuted. Counsel said the report submitted by Mr Attri, had to be rejected as the question of conspiracy had to be probed and the I.G.'s report raised issues not connected with it, to sidetrack the matter. Counsel contended while Mr Attri had not contradicted a single fact brought out in the I.O.'s report but he concluded that he did not agree with it by bringing in irrelevant facts and citing judgements not applicable to the case. Counsel said the report submitted by the I.O. and the other submitted by Mr Attri were contradictory and the latter had to be rejected. Mr Attri was appointed not to assist investigation but to derail and bury the investigation. The judge at the outset asked counsel whether the I.O. could legally recommend departmental action against some officers. Counsel replied that on coming across serious evidence, which in his opinion may not be a criminal act under the I.P.C., he could suggest some other action. The case will come up for
further arguments on January 9. |
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Farm
vigilance
cells for Punjab BAJAKHANA, Jan 7 — The Union Industry Minister, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, today said an agriculture vigilance cell would be set up at all district headquarters in Punjab. Addressing a press conference here today, he said that these cells would be linked with satellites so that farmers could be made aware of the latest research in agriculture and forewarned about any natural calamity. He said he had had a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sompal, on this issue. Such arrangements would be helpful to the farmers, he added. To a question, he said that residents of Punjab would be given priority with regard to employment in the industrial units being set up by the government and private houses. The construction of an oil refinery at Raman Mandi in Bathinda had been started and it would be commissioned within four months. He added that thousands of youths of Punjab would get employment in this project and claimed that it would also boost the economy of the state manifold. The SAD always stood for the unity and integrity of the country and in the 75 years of its existence it had always worked for a casteless and classless society. The party condemned the attack on minorities. Later, he laid the
foundation stone of a stadium, being built in memory of
international kabbadi player Harjit Singh at a cost of Rs
10 lakh, and a 220 KV grid substation. |
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PYC
nominations
after Jan 6 BATHINDA, Jan 7 — Mr Devinder Singh Babbu, President, Punjab Youth Congress (PYC), today said the state body and district Presidents of the body would be nominated after January 16. Addressing a press conference here today, he said that conditions laid down in the Youth Congress convention at Talkatora stadium on October 26 and 27 would be strictly followed in the appointment of state office-bearers and district presidents. He said that by the end of February, the village and ward-level units of the Youth Congress would be set up in Punjab. He said only deserving workers would be given representation in district as well as the state units. Mr Babbu disclosed that he would try to give 33 per cent to women and 20 per cent reservation to OBC persons in the state body and district units. He alleged that the Punjab Government had been plunging into financial crisis due to its wrong policies. He said the Governor should impose financial emergency in the state. The president said Mr
Brahm Mohindra should be expelled from the party for
condemning the party’s plan to take out a secular
march in connection with the tercentenary celebrations. |
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Red
Cross
wing adopts orphans, kids PATIALA, Jan 7 — The hospital welfare section (HWS) of the Red Cross Society of the district has taken on the task of adopting orphans and other children in distress by paying for their lodging and education. The HWS was presently bearing the expenditure of six such children, Ms Pamila Pawar, president of the HWS said here yesterday. Ms Pawar said the children came from various backgrounds, including a BA (II) student of the local Government College for Girls. The girl was an eyewitness to the burning of her mother allegedly by her father. Ms Pawar said the HWS had also decided to pay for the operation of a handicapped child. She said the organisation was running a drug store at the local TB and Chest Diseases Hospital where medicines were being sold on a token profit of 6 per cent as against 15 per cent in the market. The money so earned was being spent on the welfare of the patients at the TB hospital, she added. Ms Pawar said the HWS had donated two oxygen cylinders to the Government Rajindra Hospital yesterday, besides covered trollies. She said attempts would be made to meet the demand of 50 more cylinders needed by the hospital. The HWS chief said the
organisation had also decided to celebrate the birthday
of the orphaned children, staying at the Rajindra Deva
Orphanage. It had spent over Rs 13,000 on the provision
of "chiks" and quilts in the orphanage, he
added. |
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Dharna
by
AIR, DD staff JALANDHAR, Jan 7 — Strike by All India Radio and Doordarshan engineering staff entered second day, here today, while the striking staff also staged a dharna. All engineering employees right from helpers to Assistant engineers are demanding the pay scales approved by the Parsar Bharti Board. The striking employees were addressed by the state secretary Association of Radio and Television Engineering Employees Mr Sharad Kumar, who said that if the demands were not accepted in the stipulated period of 72 hours, the strike would be converted into an indefinite strike. There is a total strike
across the country, by the engineering employees, which
has virtually halted the radio recordings and coverages. |
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Waiting
room
for rail passengers HOSHIARPUR, Jan 7 — A waiting room for passengers will be constructed soon at the railway station here and for this a sum of Rs 5 lakh has been released by the railway authorities. This was disclosed by the Divisional Manager, Railways, Ferozepore Division, to a deputation which called upon him at Ferozepore on Tuesday. The deputation was led by Mr R. Mishra, Ch Inderjit Saini, Mr Vijay Kaushal, president, senior Vice-president and general secretary, respectively of the Punjab Samata Party, comrade Darshan Singh Mattoo, Mr P.C. Sharma of the CPM, Mr Gian Chand Jenus of the Janata Dal and Mr Jaipal Singh of the Congress. Mr Inderjit Saini, said here yesterday that meeting with the Divisional Manager was held at the instance of Railways Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar. He said that the Divisional Manager assured the deputationists that facilities for transporting goods from railway stations of Garhshanker, Saila Khurd and Jaijon Doaba would be restored if the authorities received the request from the Food Corporation of India or the industrial houses in this regard. The deputationists also
brought to the notice of the Divisional Manager the
problems being faced by daily commuters between
Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. The Divisional Manager assured
that the timings of IMU from Hoshiarpur to Jalandhar and
vice-versa would be revised. |
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Technical staff flay ESPL decision CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — The Electronic Systems Punjab Limited (ESPL) Technocrats' Association, SAS Nagar, has flayed the decision of the ESPL authorities to retrench more than 300 employees and the "indifferent attitude" of the government in running the organisation. Representatives of the association have submitted a memorandum to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, and have demanded his immediate intervention. Mr R.P. Singh, president of the association, alleged that in the absence of a full-time techno commercial managing director, wrong policies and the ad-hocism had taken its toll on the company. Instead of reviving the company the present MD had introduced the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) without taking the two unions into his confidence. Such a step would ensure talented employees opting to go out. It was strange that while the previous MD had asked for funds to revive the company and had been refused funds. The expenses of the company were being met from funds earned from various departments and the first step the present MD had taken was to wind up these very departments, he further alleged. The union demands the
appointment of a techno-commercial MD, withdrawal of the
VRS, arrangements for funds to revive the company and in
case of rejection of these demands to a chance to run the
company by the association. |
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HC notice to govt in Vanity
Incarnate case CHANDIGARH, Jan 7— Mr J.S. Bala, secretary of the Khalsa Birth Tercentenary Celebrations Committee of the SGPC, has filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a proper investigation into the "Vanity Incarnate" case. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar issued notice to the Punjab Government for February 22 in this connection. The petitioner alleged in his petition that the state government was not interested in a proper investigation of the case and had transferred police officers handling the investigation. The court has been urged
to issue directions to the Punjab Government for ensuring
proper investigation into and arrest of all those
involved in writing and publishing the book and for
banning it in the Union Territory of Chandigarh and in
Haryana. |
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Teachers seek early appointment CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — The Punjab Nav Niyukat Adhiyapak Union has urged the Punjab Government to take a decision with regard to their appointments at the earliest. In a statement issued here today, Mr Gurcharan Singh, General Secretary of the union, said that as many as 1760 teachers were awaiting orders from the government in this connection. He said that following court orders, the State Government authorities concerned had removed these teachers from service. But following representations submitted to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, and agitation launched in this connection, the State Government had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to reappoint these teachers by finding a way out. Mr Hardev Singh Mattewal, Advocate General, Punjab was also a member of the committee. Mr Gurcharan Singh said that Mr Mattewal had told them to prepare a draft after consulting legal experts of a notification by issuing which the Government could order the reappointment of these teachers. He said that the union had already submitted the draft of such a notification to Mr Mattewal and he had assured that a decision in this connection would be taken soon. Mr Gurcharan Singh, who
was accompanied by Mr K.K. Bhanot, a representative of
the Parents Association, which is also supporting the
removed teachers, said that the union was trying to call
on the Punjab Chief Minister for the past four days but
it had not got the opportunity so far perhaps due to the
busy schedule of Mr Badal. |
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Teachers wear black badges PATIALA, Jan 7 — Punjabi University teachers today wore black badges to demonstrate solidarity with the cause of 39 ad hoc teachers whose services were terminated from December 31. Stating this here today, the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) Secretary, Dr N.S. Atri, urged the Vice-Chancellor, the state government and university authorities to consider the case of the ad hoc teachers sympathetically for continuation in service. He also urged that the ad
hoc lecturers should be given an opportunity for
regularisation of services by lifting the ban on
recruitments, promotions and extension so that the
teaching work is not hampered. |
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Spate of thefts angers residents BARNALA, Jan 7 — Residents of Barnala are very angry and upset over the spate of theft cases in Barnala town. Thieves choose their targets and strike at these at will. The victims of burglars on January 6 night, ironically one karyana shop in front of local courts complex just at a stone's throw from SSP Barnala police district and SP (Headquarters) residences here. Police failure to check
thefts is also disturbing to the residents. The theft of
a scooter of a computer operator of Senior Superintendent
Police's office here also has not been solved so far. It
was stolen from SSP Barnala police district office's
complex on September 4, last year during office hours.
The police did recover the stolen scooter but could not
catch the thief. On September 7, a wine contractor was
robbed. On December 24, last year the burglars broke into
the main post office complex here, and took away cash. |
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Cong panel to meet today CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — Dr Kewal Krishan, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has convened a meeting of the committee at Punjab Congress Bhavan here tomorrow. He would take up the issue pertaining to the statement issued by Mr Brahm Mohindra cautioning the party leadership with regard to religious matters. Meanwhile, Mr Gurcharan Singh Dadhahoor, a member of the AICC and former member of Parliament, and several other Congress leaders, have urged the president of the PPCC to take prompt steps for restoring discipline in the party. Mr Dadhahoor said that Mr
Brahm Mohindra had violated the party discipline by
airing his views in the press. Indiscipline should not be
tolerated in the party at any cost, he urged. |
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Railway
overbridge
sanctioned FATEHGARH SAHIB, Jan 7 — The Central Government has sanctioned a railway overbridge on the Sirhind bypass to be built at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore. According to sources, the
Housing Urban Development Board, at a meeting held on
January 1 in Delhi sanctioned Rs 2 crore as the first
instalment for the project. The work on the project is
likely to begin in March. |
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Rs 4.30 cr given under shagun
scheme AMRITSAR, Jan 7 — More than Rs 4.30 crore had been distributed among 8431 beneficiaries by the SAD-BJP government under the 'shagun scheme' so far. Under this scheme a cheque of Rs 5000 is given to a Dalit girl on her marriage. Mr Adesh Partap Singh, MLA, Patti, addressing a rural gathering at Bhikhiwind border town, about 30 km from here, today said that all pending beneficiaries under the scheme would be given cheques by the end of current year. He added that more than Rs 9 crore had been distributed among Dalit girls on their marriages in Patti subdivision alone. He further said that efforts were being made to fill all vacant posts of teachers in the border areas of Amritsar district. Mr Narinderjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said that Rs 20 crore had been released for various development schemes by the District Planning Board so far. Earlier Mrs Parneet Kaur,
wife of Mr Adesh Partap Singh inaugurated a sewing
training centre for poor girls. |
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Awareness drive by Lions Club JALANDHAR, Jan 7 — An awareness drive has been launched by the Lions Club (district 321-D) here to warn the public against the dangers of pollution, particularly in the walled cities of Punjab. Mr S.C. Sabharwal, president of the club, said here yesterday that the club was assisting the District Administration in taking measures to check pollution and to guide the public in the anti-pollution drive. He said a pollution control camp had been working with the cooperation of voluntary organisations and the District Transport Authority. Mr Sabharwal said there should be strict compliance and implementation of the provisions of Rule 115(2) of the Central Motor Vehicle Act (CMVA), 1989, to check pollution caused by vehicles like trucks, tempos and three-wheelers. Mr Sabharwal said the club
would arrange a seminar on the problem of pollution on
February 14 at the Lions Bhavan here. |
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Janata
Dal
(urban) recognised LUDHIANA, Jan 7 — Overriding objections from its co-convener, Mr Harish Khanna, the Punjab Janata Dal today accorded recognition to the new Ludhiana Janata Dal (urban) unit, headed by Mr Kartar Singh. The recognition was accorded at a meeting of the core committee of the party held here yesterday with Mr Jagir Singh Ganesh, convener of the party in the chair. Mr Ganesh was highly critical of the "autocratic" style of functioning of Mr Khanna and said he was running the party like his personal fiefdom which could not be tolerated. He also accused Mr Khanna
of "ignoring genuine party workers" and trying
to "corner glory and claiming credit" for
everything being done by the party. In Ludhiana, he
actively discouraged partymen. In this connection, he
quoted the example of Mr Manjit Singh Grewal, a former
senior vice-president of the AISSF (Badal), who joined
the Janata Dal a few month ago. Mr Khanna did everything
possible to block the entry of Mr Grewal into the party.
Mr Grewal finally contacted the Delhi leadership of the
party to gain admission into it. |
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