Monday, July 5, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, July 5, 1999 |
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Free education
for heroes' wards |
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‘Police equipped to
foil ISI's attempts’ JALANDHAR, July 4 — The DGP, Mr Sarabjit Singh, is confident that the state police is fully equipped to counter any misadventure by ISI agents in the state, although he does not over-rule the possibility of the ISI to activate their activities in the state keeping the ongoing Kargil crisis in mind. Coop draft Bill put in
cold storage? Expert for change in farming
pattern Gastroenteritis claims 2 lives LPG tanker overturns 11 Patwar Union leaders suspended KLF activist nabbed Akali Jatha (urban) office-bearers Close down govt hospitals: MLA |
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Free education for heroes' wards PHAGWARA, July 4 — Punjab Education Minister Swarna Ram today declared the Government would provide free education to wards of Kargil martyrs. Addressing a function of the Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti and Chetna Manch, the minister said a book on martyrs would also be published. Mr Baldev Chawla, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Assembly, also spoke. Department of Telecom (DoT) staff, Punjab Circle, will contribute Rs 30 lakh towards the Army Welfare Fund from their July salary, DoT's Punjab Circle Chief General Manager R.N. Sharma said here. Mr Sharma said while Class C and D employees would contribute Rs 100 each, other categories would donate a day's salary. There are 10,000 DoT employees in Punjab Circle. Meanwhile, activists of the All-India Anti-Corruption Association here have adopted a novel way for collecting funds. Led by Mr Ravi Bedi, association chief, the activists have pitched a pandal along GT Road at the local Sugar Mill Chowk. With a caricatured bust of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, they seek donations from bus passengers and other commuters. TARN TARAN: A cheque for Rs 2 lakh was presented to Mrs Baljit Kaur, wife of Lance Naik Baldev Singh, who was killed in the Kargil conflict by Dr Rattan Singh, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Punjab, at a function in Bhullar village, 5 km from here. A cheque for Rs 50,000 was given to Mr Karam Singh, father of the deceased, by the Sainik Welfare Department. The local unit of the RSS gave Rs 20,000 to the widow. PATIALA: Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh today presented a cheque for Rs 2 lakh to the family of Lance Naik Gurmail Singh who laid down his life on May 13 fighting infiltrators in Kargil. Expressing sympathy with the family at a function held at Gharaman Kalan near Rajpura here, the minister announced a sum of Rs 5 lakh as relief for the family. He also announced government job for one member of the family. As a token of regard to
the martyr, a village road would be named Shaheed Gurmil
Singh Road. A school would also be named after him, he
said. |
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Don't make Kargil poll issue:
CPI PATIALA, July 4 — The former Home Minister, Mr Indrajit Gupta, today said that the Kargil conflict should not be made an election issue in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. Talking to reporters after inaugurating the office of the State Bank of Patiala Employees Association the CPI leader said mud-slinging between political parties over the Kargil might help politically but it would not be in national interest. However, he said the BJP Government did owe an explanation to the public above the intelligence failure leading to the present crisis. He demanded immediate session of the Rajya Sabha for a comprehensive debate on the matter. In response to a query about the controversy over Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, Mr Gupta said the issue was being needlessly raised by the BJP and its allies. "Sonia is as much an Indian as any other Indian woman is," he said adding the Sonia had been living in this country for the past 25 years. Later addressing a convention of the employees organised by All India State Bank of Patiala Employees' Federation at Amar Ashram, Mr Gupta, who is also president of World Trade Union, lamented the decline in trade unionism. He said due to the rapid globalisation and the subsequent hire and fire approach of the market leaders, coupled with growing infighting among the unions had led to the fall in trade unionism. The All-India SBOP
Employees Association contributed one-day salary for the
benefit of the soldiers fighting in Kargil. |
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Lt Kalia's parents to
approach UN AMRITSAR, July 4 — Dr N.K. Kalia, father of Lt Saurabh Kalia of 4 Jat Regiment who is considered first martyr in the Kargil conflict said he would approach the United Nations after completing the signature campaign for taking action against Pakistan for torturing his son in captivity before he was killed. Talking to TNS here after a shradhanjli samaroh organised here today, Dr Kalia, however, said it was a matter of concern that the Government of India had not made any attempt to trace his son when he was reported missing on May 15. Lt Kalia was the first officer who volunteered to lead the troops when intrusion was first detected in the Kargil sector. Dr Kalia, his wife and their another son Vaibhav Kalia, had come from Palampur to attend the 'samaroh' organised by the CPI, AITUC and other political parties. In her keynote address, Ms Vimla Dang, a former MLA said the Centre should approach international forums for taking action against Pakistan for torturing to death Indian soldiers captured by it. Dr Kalia said he would personally meet the families of all nine soldiers who accompanied his son on May 14 to flush intruders out but were still missing. The Indian Government had done nothing to know their whereabouts. Mr Narinderjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said it was a matter of pride that Lt Kalia was born at Amritsar. He said though the Kalia family had shifted to Palampur yet efforts would be made to include his name in the list of Punjab martyrs. Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla,
a BJP MLA, Mr Satya Paul Dang a former MLA, Mr Jugal
Kishore Sharma, president District Congress Committee, Mr
Amarjit Singh Asal, a senior leader of CPI, Mr Praduman
Singh, Vice-President AITUC, Dr Harish Puri and Mr Subash
Kalia were among those who spoke. |
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5-yr-old lights father's pyre AMRITSAR, July 4 (UNI) — The mortal remains of Naik Rakesh Kumar of the 18 Garhwal Rifles, who laid down his life fighting Pakistani intruders in the Kargil Sector, was consigned to flames with full military honours here today. His five-year-old son lit the pyre as an Army contingent reversed arms and the last post was sounded in an atmosphere surcharged with emotion at the Sitala Mandir cremation grounds here. The 32-year-old Naik, who joined the Army in 1984, was the first martyr from this city and the seventh in the district. He was killed on June 27. He is survived by his wife Kanchan, a son and a three-year-old daughter. His body was brought to the city late last night. Union Minister of State for Industries Sukhbir Singh Badal placed a wreath on the body of the martyr and attended the cremation along with a number of prominent citizens. Senior Army officers
were also present. |
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Apprehension of 7 ‘retarded’ persons foxes BSF BATALA, July 4 (PTI) — The apprehension of seven "retarded" persons near the Indo-Pak border following the launching of "Operation Vijay" in Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir has worried the Border Security Force (BSF) officials. BSF sources said here yesterday that the seven were nabbed from the Indo-Pak border areas in Gurdaspur, Derababa Nanak, Ramdas, Ajnala and Khem Karan sectors. It was the first incident of nabbing of "retarded" persons after the erection of barbed wire border in the three border districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepore. The sources said the intelligence agencies were making efforts to find out as to how and from where the seven persons had come. Those apprehended, include Jagdish Chander and Jagir Shah of Uttar Pradesh and Chander Ghosh of West Bengal, an Indian passport was recovered from Jagdish Chander. The seven have been sent
to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) at Amritsar for
interrogation, the sources said. |
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Tohra's party to oust SGPC chief AMRITSAR, July 4 — The Sarbh Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has decided to have seat adjustment with other parties with a view to defeating the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections. This was stated by Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, a former senior vice-president of the SGPC, while talking to the Press here today. He said after the Lok Sabha elections, the SHSAD would endeavour to change the leadership on the floor of the state assembly apart from dislodging the chief of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur. Mr Onkar Singh Sharifpura and Mr Surinder Singh Walia, president and general secretary of the district unit of the SHSAD, respectively, were also present at the Press conference. Mr Bhaur said a subcommittee had been formed by the SHSAD to prepare the draft of a "black paper" to brought out against Mr Parkash Singh Badal and his cabinet colleagues. Mr Bhaur threatened to launch a morcha against the alleged arbitrary decisions of Bibi Jagir Kaur with regard to the allocation of pandals on the premises of gurdwaras. He alleged that the SHSAD was not being accommodated when it approached SGPC officials for allocating sites for holding its political conferences. Mr Bhaur alleged that Mr Badal had secured nothing from the BJP except the induction of his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, in the Union Ministry. He said a subcommittee of his faction was being formed to probe charges of misuse of funds during the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa by Mr Badal. The SHSAD would publish the entire list of the property owned by the Badal family. The SHSAD leader alleged that the Badal government had failed to fulfil the promises made to the electorate. He claimed that his dal
would win the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee poll
with a thumping majority. He said the election campaign
of the SHSAD would be launched from July 17 from Patiala. |
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‘Police equipped to foil ISI's
attempts’ JALANDHAR, July 4 — The DGP, Mr Sarabjit Singh, is confident that the state police is fully equipped to counter any misadventure by ISI agents in the state, although he does not over-rule the possibility of the ISI to activate their activities in the state keeping the ongoing Kargil crisis in mind. He was talking to mediapersons at Kartarpur, near Jalandhar, after inaugurating the police station building there. The DGP said increase in disruptive activities in the state was directly linked with the Kargil situation, and the police had arrested some persons in the state, as they had not been able to provide satisfactory identification. He said the state police was giving top priority to keeping the lines of communication between J&K and the rest of the country open and to thwart any attempt to disrupt it. The DGP said "special protective measures were being taken by the railway police to assure that the convoys reached their destinations safely." In response to a query about the preparedness of the police to counter the nefarious designs of ISI agents, DGP expressed confidence and cited the "smooth and incident free tercentenary celebrations at Anandpur Sahib" as an example of the preparedness of the state police. Admitting that the pro-Khalistani organisations were resurfacing, he said "attempts are being made by these elements and outfits to revive themselves". He said the arrest of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) activist by Faridkot police yesterday and disclosure of his links with two BKI terrorists arrested by Delhi Police was pointer to such attempts. When asked to comment on the sudden visit of the former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh to Germany, Mr Sarabjit Singh said "he is free to travel anywhere, as long as he has the requisite visa. Asked if the departure of the Jathedar was an evidence of the failure of intelligence agencies, he said "we are not tailing him". The DGP said the ISI in
any case had been scouting for fugitives from Punjab in
European countries for recruitment and hence there was no
reason to give hype to Bhai Ranjit Singh's visit to
Germany. |
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Coop draft Bill put in cold
storage? CHANDIGARH, July 4 — It goes to the credit of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who initiated the process of "reforms" in the cooperative sector with the aim of rejuvenating the institution and enjoin greater responsibility and authority on the elected cooperators. This was on April 13, 1998, when he constituted an experts' committee with two specific tasks: 1) a revision of the Punjab State Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, in order to strengthen the democratic structure of the societies and free them from undue controls; and 2) structural reforms in the working of cooperative banks for professionalising their working and bringing them up on commercial lines. Simultaneously, the Chief Minister constituted a Cabinet subcommittee as well to consider the experts' recommendations so that suitable legislation was enacted. The notification on the experts' committee (including national experts) was issued on April 15, 1998. The committee was headed by the then Principal Secretary, Mr Rajan Kashyap. Working overtime, the committee submitted its report to the Cabinet subcommittee on June 11, 1998. The panel approved the recommendations and decided that a draft Act should be framed for the consideration of the Council of Ministers. An open debate on suggested "reform initiative" was also suggested. The Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Cooperatives, Mr Kashyap, was transferred out on July 21. Till April, 1999, the Cooperative department and the government forgot about the proposed reforms and the effort put in. But "the Punjab Self-Reliant Cooperative Bill, 1998", complete with statement of objects and reasons is ready since then, awaiting the Chief Minister's attention. There is no sign of any action by the government or the Registrar of cooperatives. There was, however, one meeting taken by the minister, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, on "revision" of the Punjab Cooperative Societies, Act, 1961, at Jalandhar on April 30. The details are not known. Informed sources told TNS that the proposed draft Bill is a "revolutionary" step. If Punjab takes the lead there is no reason why other states will not follow suit. Moreover, the proposed reforms in the draft Bill relate to such cooperatives as do not raise equity from the government or from any source other than their own members who are in need of and use the services of their cooperatives. The Chief Minister's dream was turned into a reality and the expert's committee drew ideas from Brahm Parkash Committee report (1991), the Andhra Pradesh Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies Act (1995), the Mirdha Committee report (1996) and the Referential Act (1997). One of the reasons why the whole process is held up was explained by an insider of the department. "The officials concerned, the bureaucrats and politicians do not want to lose power to interfere and influence the cooperatives." Besides many salient features of the proposed legislation (which is seemingly held up because cooperators do not have a "lobby" strong enough to win over the politicians), the following merit attention: 1) the preamble seeks to set right the view that cooperatives are public service and state dependent agencies, 2) the cooperatives registered under the Act may receive loans and guarantees from the government on mutually agreed upon terms but not receive share capital from the government 3) the articles of association of each cooperative will require each member to fulfil certain minimum responsibilities towards the cooperative before exercising rights to membership, including the voting right, 4) directors lose directorship if elections and annual or general meetings not held in time and also if along with notice of meetings they do not send copies of annual report and audited statements of accounts to all members, 5) they become legible to re-contest only three years later. All new societies will be registered under the new Act while the old societies have the option of conversion to an registration under the proposed Act. What pains some
well-meaning persons associated with the proposed
legislation is that the SAD-BJP Government is
"pregnant with promises and policy-decisions yet
refuses to deliver". Who will act as the midwife? |
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Note sent to CM CHANDIGARH, July 4 — For the economic emancipation of farmers, the Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation Chairman, Mr J.S. Ghungrana, has sent a detailed note to the Chief Minister and the Minister for Agriculture, suggesting the involvement of state agencies in motivating farmers to go in for high-value horticulture crops. Mr Ghungrana, who has just returned after a study tour of four states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu — feels that unless there is a marked shift in farming pattern and marketing strategy Punjab would lag behind. Given the progress made by the states he had visited along with Executive Director (Food and Horticulture Division) PAIC, Mr N.S. Brar, unless "hi-tech agro-processing" was introduced and farmers switched from traditional wheat-paddy rotation to flowers, fruit and vegetables and the state assured them marketing he did not see a very bright future for the farming community. Such an introduction will ensure "value addition" to horticulture and floriculture which have a vast domestic and export potential. Mr Ghungrana has suggested that certain pockets should be identified in the state for the promotion of cultivation of vegetables, flowers, fruits, etc, with Pagrexco — Punjab Agriculture Export Corporation — entrusted with the task of assisting growers in marketing and also developing infrastructure in terms of pre-cooling and cold storages to extend the shelf-life. In the second phase facilities for processing namely, dehydration, canned and frozen foods, etc, should be provided in the joint sector. The state should also set up large seed farms where quality, high-yielding and disease-free seeds should be multiplied and sold to the growers. Punjab's Agricultural University, departments of agriculture, horticulture, PAIC, Pagrexco, etc, must dovetail their efforts and jointly work out a blueprint for a new revolution, the note to the Chief Minister stresses. Mr Ghungrana has shared
his experiences of what he saw. He feels that radical
steps are need if Punjab is not to be left behind.
Specialised zones for grapes, flowers, vegetables, etc,
have to come up in the state suited for their
cultivation. An integrated approach is called for which
will also mean effective diversification to take care of
economy and ecology. |
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Gastroenteritis claims 2 lives FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 4 (PTI) — Two residents of Mandi Gobindgarh have died of gastroenteritis while more than 175 persons have been admitted to hospital with the water-borne disease, the hospital authorities said here today. The victims were identified as Kulwinder Kaur and Guromkar Singh. While the local municipal authorities claimed that the water being supplied to them was potable, the Municipal Council could not identify the place where contamination had taken place. Punjab Health Director
G.S Preet visited the town yesterday to assure proper
medical treatment to the victims at the local Civil
Hospital. He said it was the responsibility of the local
municipality to locate the water contamination point. |
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LPG tanker overturns FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 4 — Panic gripped residents of surrounding villages of Sadugarh, 15 km from here, as an LPG tanker overturned on the GT road today. According to information here, the tanker was on its way to Jalandhar from Kandla and overturned at 11 a.m. However, the traffic on the GT road was diverted and shops adjoining the site were closed as safety measures. However, due to
non-availability of crane the tanker could not be removed
from the site till 8 p.m. |
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11 Patwar Union leaders suspended FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 4 (PTI) — The State Government today suspended 11 Patwar Union leaders, including its state President Gurmail Singh, in the wake of ongoing strike by patwaris in the state for the last one-month. Deputy Commissioner Vijay Kumar Janjua told reporters here that the government was also considering the dismissal of suspended patwaris under Article 311 (12). The suspended leaders include, Darshan Singh, Gursewak Singh, Mohan Singh, Gurdarshan Singh, Jaspal Singh, Amrik Singh, Randhir Singh, Balkar Singh, Paramjit Singh and Raghbir Singh. The patwaris are on
strike demanding higher wages and considering them in
technical grade. |
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KLF activist nabbed MOGA, July 4 (PTI) — The police today claimed to have apprehended an activist of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and recovered a 30 bore mauser from his possession. Gurcharan Singh, alias Fauji, a resident of Sevewala near Jaitu, was arrested following a special drive launched by the police in view of the Kargil situation, from Faridkot. Gurcharan Singh is brother of Binder Singh, a top militant who was killed in an encounter in 1992 near Jagraon. This is the second catch within three days by the Faridkot police which nabbed Karmjit Singh, an activist of the Babar Khalsa Inter-National, three days back from his native village Sikhanwala. The police also said
Avtar Singh, a resident of Matta village in Jaitu police
station area, was nabbed and a 38 bore pistol and
cartridges found in his possession. |
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Akali Jatha (urban)
office-bearers AMRITSAR, July 4 — Mr Onkar Singh Sharifpura, President district Akali Jatha (urban) has nominated the following office-bearers of the body. on the directions of Mr G.S. Tohra President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal. They are: President, Mr
Onkar Singh Sharifpura (member SGPC); Patrons — Mr
Parduman Singh, Mr Pritam Singh Kalsi, Mr Darshan Singh
Sultanwind; Senior Vice-Presidents — Jathedar Ajaib
Singh Gandhi, Jathedar Santokh Singh Beejwale, Mr Onkar
Singh Sandhu, Mr Satbir Singh Bajaj, Mr Dhanwant Singh
Mann, Mr Swinder Singh, Councillor, Kot Khalsa, Mr Amrik
Singh Pappu, Mr Balwinder Singh Billa; Vice-Presidents
— Mr Sukhbir Singh Hundal, Mr Palwinder Singh
Sharifpura, Mr Sukhraj Singh Jaura, Mr Narinder Singh
Billa, Mr Harpal Singh Jaura, Mr Tarlochan Singh, Mr
Raghbir Singh Sonu; General Secretaries — Mr
Surinder Singh Walia, Mr Tejinder Singh Gogi, Mr Puran
Singh Mattewal, Mr Avtar Singh, Truckwale, Mr Vishan Deep
Singh Ruby; Secretaries — Mr Jaspal Singh, Mr
Harcharan Singh Kaka, Mr Barinderjit Singh Walia; and
Financial Secretaries — Mr Inderpal Singh Chawla, Mr
Harbhajan Singh Sahijra. |
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Close down govt hospitals: MLA AMRITSAR, July 4 — Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP legislator, has suggested that government hospitals in the state be closed indefinitely as poor patients can no longer afford the expenses of healthcare in the wake of the hike in medical charges. In a letter to the Health Minister, she has alleged that poor patients have been suffering due to the hike in charges and the "callous" attitude of doctors. She has alleged that doctors on duty at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital refused to give first aid to four persons who were injured in road accidents yesterday. It was only on the
intervention of the Deputy Commissioner that medical help
was provided to them. |
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Punjab Medical Entrance Test
concludes AMRITSAR, July 4 — The state-level Punjab Medical Entrance Test (PMET) for admission to medical, dental and Ayurvedic colleges concluded at various centres today. No untoward incident was
reported. More than 7,000 candidates from all over Punjab
appeared in the test at 27 centres at Amritsar,
Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Faridkot, Hoshiarpur,
Gurdaspur, Abohar, Patiala and Pathankot. |
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Teachers resent Punjab decision JALANDHAR, July 4 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) has condemned the decision of the Punjab Government to reduce the retirement age of teachers of non-government colleges from 60 years to 58 years. Prof S.S. Hundal and Dr V.K. Tiwari, president and general secretary, respectively, of the PCCTU expressed resentment against the unilateral decision and termed the notification in this regard as illegal and unconstitutional. The PCCTU urged the Chief Minister to withdraw the notification failing which the union would launch an agitation. An emergency meeting of union office-bearers would be held tomorrow to plan the future course of agitation. The union also directed the teachers to reach Chandigarh on July 6 to take part in a dharna in front of the office of the DPI (Colleges). Prof J.S. Randhawa,
president, Jalandhar District Council of PCCTU also
condemned the decision. |
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‘Withdraw order on retirement
age’ LUDHIANA, July 4 — The convener of the teachers’ cell of the Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress, Mrs Jaswant Ghai, has demanded the withdrawal of the Punjab Government notification dated June 30, 1999, wherein the retirement age of non-government college teachers and principals has been lowered from 60 years to 58 years. She said that it might
spark unrest among teachers and lead to the disruption of
the academic session. Though the UGC had recommended the
raising of the retirement age from 60 years to 62 years,
the Badal regime had done the opposite. |
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