Thursday, July 1, 1999
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Thursday, July 1, 1999 |
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BSP, SAD (Tohra) close to
poll pact NEW DELHI, June 30 - The newly-formed Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party are close to striking a poll pact in Punjab for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Mend ways, Punjab Congressmen told CHANDIGARH, June 29 — The Congress high command has taken a serious note of indiscipline in the Punjab Congress and asked the state-level leaders to mend their ways. |
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Punjab may stay bogged
down CHANDIGARH, June 30 — Punjab is unlikely to extricate itself from the "difficult" financial situation it faces at present. Punjab's request to
Defence Ministry Science
teaching fails to show results Girls
outshine boys in Plus II exam SGPC
panel gives report on land dispute 1
held for making spurious slippers Seminars
today on legal services Act 2
gangs of thieves busted Army
chief visits western sector |
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| Plea to lift ban on payments | |
Bhatia is Sonia's emissary to USA |
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BSP,
SAD (Tohra)close
to poll pact NEW DELHI, June 30 - The newly-formed Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are close to striking a poll pact in Punjab for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Sarb Hind SAD President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, and the BSP President, Mr Kanshi Ram, today held a meeting here to discuss the electoral adjustments. It is expected that the BSP, which had an earlier pact with the SAD (Badal) in 1996 and the Congress in 1998 general elections, would finally go along with Mr Tohra’s party. The BSP may get three Lok Sabha Constituencies of Phillaur, Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur, which it represented in the 11th Lok Sabha, under the seat-adjustment formula. A final announcement of the pact was expected to be made later this month when Mr Tohra returns from a two-week sojourn of the USA and Canada. Mr Tohra leaves for his tour tonight. Confirming that the party was close to striking a poll pact with the BSP, the Sarb Hind SAD General Secretary, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra said today that a final decision would be taken by the two leaders later this month. The SAD may announce the pact at a public rally in the state. Mr Chandumajra also said that their party was keen to contest from Patiala, Tarn Taran, Ropar and Ludhiana and that the rest of the constituencies had been kept aside for possible adjustments with like-minded parties. The Sarb Hind SAD, he said, would prefer to tie up with political parties which were anti-BJP,anti-SAD (Badal) and anti-Congress. He said that their party would not mind aligning with the parties which shared common ideology of working for the downtrodden, Dalits and common people, and those who were against government interference in religious institutions. Meanwhile, the
possibility of the tie up by the BSP with an Akali party
would virtually end its chances of any adjustment with
the Congress in the state. |
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Punjab
may stay bogged down CHANDIGARH, June 30 — Punjab is unlikely to extricate itself from the "difficult" financial situation it faces at present. Though the Principal Secretary, Finance, Mr K.R. Lakhanpal, has denied as "baseless" reports regarding "non-payment" of salaries to the employees, the fact is financial management requires a "surgical operation" backed by a strong "political will" and by making bureaucracy "accountable". A whole lot of studies and analysis are available on fiscal management. Even a "blue-print" stands approved by the Council of Ministers. Yet the whole "package" has been put into cold storage either because of electoral compulsions or political exigencies. Neither the political executive nor the bureaucrats TNS spoke to deny that financial situation is difficult. But there seems no hope of it improving in the foreseeable future. The slide may have started more than a decade ago. It gained momentum in the past two years or so. This is admitted by both ministers and bureaucrats. The main source of money is from the Revenue Department, transport and excise and taxation. Populist policies and wrong decisions in the past have dried up the inflow of Rs 35 crore by way of "mamla" land revenue. Despite a 44 per cent hike in bus fares, Punjab Roadways remains in deficit and demands Rs 70 crore annually from the state. The performance of the Excise and Taxation department is "dismal" as some ministers put it. Incidentally, most of the revenue earning departments are with the Chief Minister. He looks after at least 20 departments besides shouldering heavy responsibilities of keeping his political flock together and political stock high at national level. He is well-meaning. Through his "sangat darshan" he shares the "joys and sorrows" of the commoners. He keeps his finger on the political pulse of the Opposition as well. His heavy workload and tremendous tasks at hand do not dampen his spirits to work. After the coup he had engineered in the SGPC his area of responsibilities had further increased. It is now religio-political. Despite the work he does, the government also rolls back certain revenue-earning measures which further slows down the inflow of money. This increases the burden of the Finance department, which is left to make both ends meet. So obliging is the government that it keeps everyone happy and gets brickbats in return because of its wrong priorities and decisions. Its "selective" economy measures and tall-talk of austerity, eradicating corruption, transparency in governance and transformation of the socio-economic fabric have all but got entangled and enmessed in non-issues due to lack of a proper focus, a perspective and the much-needed politico-administrative vision. Have not the bureaucrats rued that "police and politicians" are outside the orbit of all management techniques needed to ensure efficient and effective administration with a string of economy.? It is openly talked now that all powers are concentrated in one place (say family). For all field postings directives come from that "power house", of course, for a consideration, it is alleged. The talk of a "pricetag" is too audible to be ignored now. Most politico-administrative decisions and directives emanate from that "centre of power". Nothing else matters. The delay and dithering, therefore, is understandable in matters concerning the state and the people. The present focus of the entire political executive is on Lok Sabha poll. Strategies take precedence over administrative matters. There is a resentful restlessness in the party and the government over the drift in the system, thanks to the doing and undoing of the political executive. The bureaucracy cannot be absolved of what is going on. This is candidly admitted by both ministers and the bureaucrats. The woes of the party jathedars in the field are too well known to be recounted here. Nevertheless, the political executive is not overtly worried about the likely impact the presence of all-India SAD of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra will have on the Lok Sabha poll. A Parliament election is different from Assembly elections. The former requires more money and a welloiled electioneering machinery. The official SAD is at an advantage in that sense over all-India SAD. The party chief,
therefore, while blunting his Akali rivals is watching
the internecine war within the Congress as well. Mr
Parkash Singh Badal must be credited as a master
strategist when it comes to contesting and organising
elections. But his handicap this time will be the growing
perception in the people of there being either "no
government" or its "poor" performance. |
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SGPC designs website AMRITSAR, June 30 — The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has designed its first website using the latest communication facilities from which Sikhs spread all around the globe can get connected to the SGPC directly. This was stated by Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC chief, after inaugurating the Internet website here today. This website will be named www.sridarbarsahibasr.org. This website will later start giving information on Sikh history, Sikh rehat maryada, important religious history of all gurdwaras located in Punjab and elsewhere, details of offerings and spending of funds. The web adviser, Prof Bikram Singh Virk, said for designing this website a contract had been drawn up with Infonet Services India Pvt Ltd, Amritsar, from whom a small part of the server of 10 MB had been taken on lease for two years. This space will be extended to needful quantity according to requirement. He said for designing this website Infonet technocrats had agreed to design 10 Web pages free of cost. The information to be provided on it will get approval from a duly constituted committee of eminent Sikh historians, educationists and scholars. Giving technical information about the website, Professor Virk said this website had been hosted on to the state-of-art services with multiple links to the Internet backbone it could support infinite number of hits/visits. This technique would help in knowing the total number of persons who visit website. After sometime this web site will carry a live audio and video presentation of shabad kirtan and other religious activities taking place in Sri Darbar Sahib through video feeders and cameras. Apart from this, religious text chat with noted Sikh personalities and other scholars will be brought on this website. Another feature of this website will be that it will have its own 25 E-mail addresses from which information about the functioning of the SGPC can be directly sought. The SGPC President,
office-bearers of the SGPC, like Secretary,
Vice-President and others, will have their own E-mail
addresses. These addresses will be available on this
website. |
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Mend
ways,
Punjab Congressmen told CHANDIGARH, June 29 — The Congress high command has taken a serious note of indiscipline in the Punjab Congress and asked the state-level leaders to mend their ways. Informed sources here said Ms Shelja, Secretary to the AICC, has been asked to look into the affairs of the party in detail and set things right. She would be here to oversee the deliberations on the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, besides trying to stem the rot that has set in the Punjab Congress. Sources also pointed that the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, Capt Amarinder Singh, had met twice the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and in the past three days he is said to have apprised her that certain leaders like Mr Bir Devinder Singh and Mr Prem Gupta had been speaking against the state president and were almost daily trying to plant reports in the press. As Mrs Gandhi had heard the other side led by former Pradesh Congress Committee chief Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and was aware of the details, she wanted Capt Amarinder Singh to improve his working and curb indiscipline. Later Capt Amarinder Singh met the AICC General Secretary, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, twice in the past two days. It was decided that as Mr Mukherjee, who looks after of the Punjab Congress affairs would be away, Ms Shelja should look into the Punjab affairs. Dissidence against Capt Amarinder Singh has been growing from day one. While many expected that he would bring cohesion and unity and lead the party to victory, his working has been under attack. Today a good number of dissident leaders, including some MLAs, met at the residence of Mrs Bhattal here and after fixing a meeting with Mr Mukherjee tonight, they left for Delhi. Among those present were Mr Awatar Brar, a former minister, Mr Brahm Mohindra and Mr Sant Ram Singla, and two other MLAs. The dissidents who feel ignored want the central party high command to help bring unity and correct the working of the state president. "We feel hurt the way some known corrupt people are being given important positions, and honest Congressmen ignored. This can not go on like this" one of them told TNS here. Their main target is that Mr Lal Singh, a former minister who has been charged with corruption by the Punjab Lok Pal should be removed from the Disciplinary Committee and from the General Secretaryship of the PCC as well as from the Election Committee. Their allegation is that Mr Lal Singh, a minister in the Beant Singh Cabinet, is using his money and power to influence party decisions. Second, they want that the Disciplinary Action Committee should be reorganised with more sober and mature leaders in it. It should not be just a serving organisation. At another level, while
dissidents are claiming that the suspension of two
Congress leaders, Mr Bir Devinder Singh and Mr Prem
Gupta, yesterday was withdrawn after Ms Shelja asked Capt
Amarinder Singh, the ruling group says this was all done
by Capt Amarinder Singh himself. "When I learnt
about the suspension and show-cause notices to the two
leaders, I thought that they should first be given a
chance to explain their conduct and then action, if any,
should be taken. So I immediately asked the pradesh
Congress office to first serve the notice. This was done.
I was told that in the past the practice has been that
suspension and notices are ordered simultaneously. Since
I am not vindictive and wish to unite and improve the
working, I thought each person, whatever be his fault,
should be given a chance to explain and reform himself.
If the replies are not satisfactory, they would face the
music", the Punjab Congress chief told TNS on the
phone from Delhi. |
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Punjab's request to Defence Ministry AMRITSAR, June 30 (UNI) — The Punjab Government has requested the Defence Ministry to keep it informed of all activities along the border to enable it to prepare contingency plans. The request was contained in an official communique sent by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to Defence Minister George Fernandes on June 25. Copies of the letter were released to the press here today by Jalandhar Division Commissioner B.K. Srivastava after a tour of the border belt of the district. The communique requested for at least a week's advance notice so that residents of the border villages could be intimated, enabling them to move to safer areas before the outbreak of a war with Pakistan. The communique reminded the Defence Ministry that in the 1971 war, the border residents were taken by surprise when Pakistan attacked India and they lost much of their valuables. The state government also sought help for improving telecommunication network in the border villages. In a letter addressed to Telecom Commission Chairman Anil Kumar, state Chief Secretary R.S. Mann had sought effective supervision to ensure the working of telephones in the border villages. Mr Mann pointed out that the telephone was immediate demand of the villagers who had stayed back in the border villages. The state government had
also agreed to pay telephone bills of those panchayats in
the border areas where phones were disconnected due to
non-payment of bills. |
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Science teaching fails to show
results FAZILKA: Crores of rupees are being squandered annually in government senior secondary schools of Punjab. Science laboratories have been set up in many schools. Equipment worth lakhs is in a state of disuse and misuse due to a few or no students in schools. Lecturers and laboratory staff draws salaries to the tune of several lakhs annually. In many schools only a few students have passed science subjects in plus two class. According to reliable sources, in Ferozepore district out of total 53 senior secondary schools, teaching in science subjects is imparted in 22 schools, of which 13 are in urban areas while nine are in rural areas. Of the nine schools in rural areas there is no science student in three schools at Dabwala Kalan (Fazilka block), Mauzgarh (Abohar block) and Megharai (Guruharsahai block). The result of Plus two-(Science) is quite pitiable in remaining six schools. Out of total 25 students in these schools 12 have failed, four have been placed in compartment while only nine have passed. In senior secondary schools of Ladhuka village (Jalalabad block) and Nihal Khera (Abohar block) there were only two students each in Plus two in both schools. Surprisingly all four have failed. in Bhinder Kalan school (Zira block) out of five students four have failed. In the Khuiansarvar school out of six students two have failed while one has been placed in compartment. Similarly in the Dottarianwali village school, out of two students one has been placed in compartment. In the Kot Ise Khan village out of school eight students, two have failed while two others have been placed in compartment. In urban areas too, where science group is taught in 13 schools the condition is far from satisfactory because there is no student in girls Senior Secondary School Guruharsahai. In remaining 12 schools out of total 269 students of Plus two only 87 students, comprising 31 per cent have passed while 135 comprising more than 50 per cent have failed and remaining 16 per cent being 43 have got compartment, with results of a small number to be declared later. According to detailed results, in Senior Secondary School for boys at Talwandi Bhai all 11 students who took the examination have failed. In Senior Secondary School for Boys at Ferozepore located in the vicinity of the office of District Education Officer, out of total 30 students 24 have failed, four in compartment two have passed. In Senior Secondary School for boys at Zira, 13 students out of 15 have failed. Similarly five out of seven in girls Senior Secondary Schools have failed while one has been put in compartment. In boys Senior Secondary School Guruharsahai, the only one student on roll in science group has failed, while there is no student in girls school there. In Jalalabad town the pass percentage is quite low as 22 out of 28 in the boys school have failed, two have been placed in compartment while in the girls school two out of four students have passed. In Senior Secondary School for Boys at Abohar, which is one of the biggest schools of the district, out of 47 students, 27 have failed and 11 others have been placed in compartment. In the girls school out of 15 students only three have passed while the remaining have either failed or are compartment cases. The best results in the science group have come from Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Fazilka, where 24 students out of 33 have passed in the examination. Similarly 33 students out of 61 in the boys school at Fazilka have passed. In Girls Senior Secondary School at Ferozepore out of 17, seven have passed while one has failed, and eight others are compartment cases. It is pertinent to mention that in all 22 schools of the district there is adequate teaching staff. In the girls' school at Guruharsahai and in schools at Dabwala Kalan, Mauzgarh and Meghrai villages there are no science a students, the science teaching staff virtually remain idle. the laboratory assistants have no work and equipment worth lakhs is gathering dust. Likewise in nine schools in rural areas against the sanctioned 45 posts for teaching science subjects which include lecturers and laboratory assistants more than 30 posts have been filled, but surprisingly the number of total science students is 25. Such a situation has arisen due to upgradation of high schools to senior secondary standard due to reported political pressure. This situation prevails despite the fact that Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister, Punjab, had on December 27, 1998, in a statement, declared that medical and non-medical courses would be discontinued from the next academic session in schools where students had not been enrolled for the past two years. Along with this it was planned to run only two schools in each block one for girls and other for boys. Mr Raj Kishore Kalra,
spokesperson for the Government Secondary Teachers Union,
Punjab, while demanding implementation of the policy
declared by Mr Tota Singh, suggested that the optimum use
of science teaching staff can be made by the revising
education policy of 1986 vide plus one and plus two
classes were to be held in senior secondary schools only.
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Girls
outshine
boys in Plus II exam SAS NAGAR, June 30 — Carrying on the past trend, girls have once again outshone boys by faring better than boys in the plus two (humanities/vocational) examination conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, the results of which were declared here today. The overall pass percentage in both these groups has also shown an increase as compared to last year. While the pass percentage of the humanities group has risen from 51.6 last year to 54.2 this year, that of the vocational group has increased from 50.6 last year to 52.9 this year. The first five positions in the examination have been bagged by girls. Neeru of Amrit Model Senior Secondary School, Abohar ( Ferozepore) has topped the examination by securing 396 marks out of a total of 450 ( 88%) while Rekha Rani of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Fazilka (Ferozepore) has stood second by securing 389 marks (86.4%), Harpreet Kaur of Sanmati Vimal Jain Senior Secondary Public School, Jagraon ( Ludhiana) is placed third with 386 marks ( 85.7). Of the total 130,712 candidates who appeared as regular candidates, 70,568 have passed, thereby giving a pass percentage of 54.2 per cent. The pass percentage of regular candidates has registered an increase of 2.6 per cent, from 51.5 per cent last year. The number of candidates placed in the compartment is 31,981. However, the overall pass percentage of regular students in the science/commerce group has declined from 53.3 per cent last year to 50.3 this year. Of the total 73,572 candidates who appeared privately, 29, 934 have passed, thus giving a pass percentage of 40.6. per cent. There has been a significant increase of 9.90 per cent as compared to last year when the pass per cent was a dismal 30.7 per cent. The number of compartment cases in this category is 16, 661. There has been a significant rise in the pass percentage of private candidates in the science /commerce groups which has gone up from 27.6 per cent to 51.5 this year. The subject wise pass percentages of regular students in humanities groups indicates their poor performance in subjects like mathematics (51%) and general English (55.15). The same is true in case of the private candidates also. An overall analysis of the combined merit list of all plus two groups reveals that students with science stream feature more prominently in the merit list. Of the first 50 positions, there are 42 students of the science group and only eight of the Humanities group. However, there is none from the commerce group. Even otherwise,the number of commerce students in the list is the least. The topper, Rohini Prinja of RSD College, Ferozepore of Science group has secured an aggregate of 414 marks, followed by Neeru, the topper of the humanities group with 396 marks. The third position is bagged by Rohit Verma, a science student of Bharti Vidya Mandir Government Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana. The names of 252 candidates who have secured 357 marks and above figure in the merit list. The number of college students in the merit list is also more than the plus to students studying in various schools. In the first 50, 32 students are from college, 17 are from schools and one private candidate from Ropar. Another trend that comes to light is that students of private schools and colleges have done better than their government counterparts. Meanwhile, the result gazettes will be made available at all textbook sales depots of the board in various districts tomorrow. The following is the combined merit list of first 25 toppers of various plus two groups: science, commerce, humanities and vocational. Rohini Prinja (R.S.D.
College, Ferozepore City )- 414; Neeru (Amrit Model
Senior Secondary School, Abohar )-396; Rohit Verma
(Bharti Vidya Mandir Government Senior Secondary School,
Ludhiana)- 395; Amit Kumar (Government College,
Gurdaspur)- 392; Kamaljeet Kaur Dogra (Government
College, Hoshiarpur)-392; Meenu Grover (Khalsa College,
Amritsar)- 391; Meenakshi (M.M.Modi College, Ludhiana )-
391; Rekha Rani (Government Girls Senior Secondary
School, Fazilka )- 389; Bhushan (S.Chetan Singh
Sarvhitkari, Senior Secondary School, Mansa)- 388;
Jagpreet Singh and Kartik Bathla (G.B.T. Senior Secondary
School, Malout (Muktsar) - 388 and 387, respectively,
Navneet Gulzar (Government College, Hoshiarpur )-387;
Gagandeep Singh (D.A.V. College, Malout, (Muktsar)- 386;
Sham Sunder Trehan (R.S.D.College, Ferozepore City )-
386; Manish Kumar (S.D.College, Barnala, Sangrur)- 386;
Brinderjit Singh (Government College, Gurdaspur)- 386;
Harpreet Kaur (Sanmati Vimal Jain, Senior Secondary
Public School, Jagraon (Ludhiana)- 386; Baljinder Kaur
(Government College (Women), Ludhiana)- 385; Nisha Gupta
(S.D.Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur)- 385; Sani
Sandhu (Khalsa College , Amritsar )- 384; Vandna Bansal (
D.A.V.College, Abohar )- 384; Manpreet Kaur (Fertilizer
Senior Secondary School, Naya Nangal (Ropar)- 384;
Jaspreet Kaur (Swami Roop Chand Jain, Senior Secondary
Public School, Jagraon (Ludhiana)- 384; Aman Bhatia
(Khalsa College, Amritsar ) - 383; Abhishek Goyal
(S.D.Government College, Ludhiana )- 383; Kanak Sri
Aggarwal (Prem Chand Markanda S.D.College, for Women ,
Jalandhar )- 383. |
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1
held for
making spurious slippers JALANDHAR, June 30 — In its ongoing drive against manufacturers of spurious products, the police here has achieved success by sealing a rubber factory making spurious bathroom slippers (Hawai slippers), seizing goods worth lakhs and arresting one person. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said here today that Mr Rajinder Kumar Jain, proprietor of M/S National Top Rubber Industry, here approached the police with the information that Vijay Kumar Sharma, proprietor, M/S Sharma Footwear had here, been infringing on the registered trademark of his company i.e. National Top. The complainant added that Vijay Kumar was scheduled to despatch a consignment of these goods to Hyderabad. A police party impounded 15 gunny bags of bathroom slippers having the Trademark of National Top from the industrial area where the bags were lying for despatch. Mr Yadav said after the preliminary interrogation of the accused the police party was led to the premises of his factory, M/S Sharma Footwear, where the spurious goods were being manufactured. The raid on the factory premises led to the further recovery of such goods, including stickers. The accused has been
arrested and produced in the court of the judicial
magistrate and remanded in police custody for further
investigations. |
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Seminars today on legal services
Act CHANDIGARH, June 30 — The Punjab Legal Services Authority has decided to hold seminars simultaneously at all district headquarters in the state on July 1 to create awareness among the common man about the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, framed to provide free legal aid to poor and down-trodden. According to Mr D.K. Monga, Member-Secretary of the Authority, representatives of the public, including panches, sarpanches, municipal commissioners and members of the bar associations, have been invited to participate in the seminars, which will focus on rules framed under the Act. The seminars, being
organised to encourage settlement of disputes at
pre-litigation and post-litigation stages at Lok Adalats,
will be held under the aegis of the District Legal
Services Authorities concerned headed by District and
Sessions Judges. |
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2
gangs of
thieves busted ROPAR, June 30 — The district police has arrested 16 members of four inter-state gangs of thieves and robbers and seized eight vehicles from them. Mr Jaskaran Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, said here today that SAS Nagar police had arrested the 16-member gang and seized from them a Tata Sumo, three Maruti cars, a Maruti van, a Ceilo car, a scooter and a motor cycle. He added that these gangs had been operating in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. The SSP said Kharar police had arrested a gang of five members which was involved in stealing electricity wires and tyres from parked buses and trucks in the Kharar area. The police arrested Sadhu Singh, Kishor Singh, Jasmer Singh, Hari Singh and Gurmukh Singh and seized from them 13 tyres and six quintals of electricity wire worth Rs 2 lakh. In another incident Chamkaur Sahib police has seized 42 bags of poppy husk (15 quintals) worth Rs 9 lakh from a truck which was intercepted by a police party at a naka on the bridge of Dugri village yesterday. The SSP said on being
intercepted the occupants of the truck jumped and fled.
The police chased them and arrested Kaka Singh, Gurmail
Singh and Satpal Singh. Other two occupants, Gurdial
Singh and Surjit Singh have absconded. |
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Army chief visits western
sector JALANDHAR, June 30 — Gen V.P. Malik Chief of the Army Staff, today visited somewhere in the western sector. On arrival the Army chief was accompanied by Lt-Gen H.B. Kala, GOC-in-C Western Command, and Lt-Gen G.K. Duggal, Corps Commander. The chief addressed all station officers and stated that the country holds the Army in the highest esteem. He added that the Army was doing a commendable job in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in Kargil. He exhorted all ranks to maintain vigil on the border. While having an informal chat with the officers of the station said the three Services were working in unison and were fully prepared to meet any challenge.
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Plea
to
lift ban on payments LUDHIANA, June 30 — Stopping the payment of gratuity, commutation, leave encashment, GPF and other arrears to the retirees has sparked unrest among them. The Government Pensioners Association said it had received several complaints in this connection from its members. The treasury officers, it is alleged, expressed helplessness in making payments as per telephonic instructions of the Punjab Government. This is third time during the past six months that the state government has banned payments to the pensioners. A few months ago the Punjab and Haryana High Court came to the rescue of the retirees by intervening in the matter. In a telegram sent to the Punjab Chief Minister, the association has pleaded for immediate withdrawal of the ban on payments.
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Bhatia
is
Sonia's emissary to USA AMRITSAR, June 30 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi has sent former Minister of State for External Affairs R.L. Bhatia to the USA, England and Canada to apprise the US Congress and the large Indian community living in these countries about the current Kargil situation. Mr Bhatia said here today while leaving for a fortnight-long overseas tour that he had been asked by the Congress chief to brief the leaders about the blatant aggression unleashed by the Pakistan backed infiltrators. He pointed out that India was determined to flush out the infiltrators occupying the Indian territory across the Line of Control. He appreciated the role
of G-8 and particularly the US President who had told
Pakistan in clear terms to vacate the Indian territory
which, he added, was a welcome sign. |
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SGPC
panel gives
report on land dispute AMRITSAR, June 30 — The Sub-committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee has submitted its report on the land dispute between Akal Takht Jathedar Gaini Puran Singh and the SGPC to the executive for settling the case amicably. Bibi Jagir Kaur,
President, SGPC, has confirmed that the sub-committee
consisting of Mr Balbir Singh Naushehra Pannua, Senior
Vice-President, SGPC, Ms Kiranjot Kaur, Executive member,
Mr Partap Singh, Advocate, and others had submitted the
report to the executive. Though the SGPC chief declined
to comment on the contents of the report, Mr Partap
Singh, a member of the sub-committee, said it was
recommended that the case be settled amicably by holding
a meeting with the Akal Takht chief. He, however, said
there was no concrete proof that Giani Puran Singh had
encroached upon the SGPC land. It may be mentioned here
that a civil suit is still pending in the district court
here regarding the land dispute between the SGPC and the
Akal Takht Jathedar. |
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Police inaction resented JALANDHAR, June 30 — A complete bandh by the Stationary Traders Association was observed today to protest against the police's inaction in arresting the guilty in a suicide case. The deceased had left a note alleging that due to harassment by some individuals he was committing suicide. Sham Sunder Gupta (22), son of Mr Baiwan Lal Gupta, committed suicide on June 26 leaving a letter behind that due to constant harassment by Mr Raj R. Gupta (Congress councillor), his son, Sonu, and his son-in-law, Brij Mohan, he was taking the extreme step. The president of the
association, Mr Ashok Kumar, said here today that
although an FIR had been registered against the four
persons, but no action had been taken yet. |
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NFL rules out gas leak BATHINDA, June 30 (UNI) — National Fertilisers Limited General Manager (North) S.K. Mehta yesterday ruled out any leakage of ammonia gas from the NFL plant here. Farmers of Sivian village had alleged that ammonia gas was leaked from the plant which adversely affected their paddy and cotton crops. In a press note issued
here, Mr Mehta clarified that the plant was functioning
normally, without any unusual release of any gas. |
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Marriage palaces' closure ordered BATHINDA, June 30 — Mr S.R. Ladhar, District Magistrate, today ordered the closure of two marriage palaces, one dhaba and two sweet shops when the water samples taken from these places were found unfit for human consumption. According to a press note issued here, Mr Ladhar said the samples taken from these establishments were tested at the public health laboratory. He added that he had
ordered the closure of these establishments under Section
2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. |
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30
patwaris
resume duty BATHINDA, June 30 — As many as 30 patwaris who were on strike for the past few weeks have assumed their duties in the district till today. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy
Commissioner, in a press note issued here said out of the
total 172 patwaris in the district, 24 patwaris had been
booked for allegedly stealing the official revenue
records. He added that all these patwaris had been
suspended. |
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D.S.
Garcha
dead LUDHIANA, June 30 — A former member of Parliament, Mr Davinder Singh Garcha, died here yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 65. His cremation was largely attended. Mr Garcha was elected to
Parliament thrice on the Congress ticket. He had also
been elected as a member Punjab Legislative Assembly on
the Akali ticket in 1985. |
||
GND varsity results AMRITSAR, June 30 —
The results of BA Punjabi (Hons) part-II and III, B.Sc.
(Hons school), BA Economics part-III and BBA part-III
examinations of Guru Nanak Dev University held in
April/May 1999 will be declared tomorrow. This was stated
here today by Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar of the university. |
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