Tuesday, May 4, 1999
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Tuesday, May 4, 1999 |
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SAD leader attacks Capt
Kanwaljit FATEHGARH SAHIB, May 3 — Although the SAD has decided to launch its election campaign in the state from Fatehgarh Sahib on May 14, things may not go smoothly for the dominant Badal faction because of divisions in the Badal camp itself. Tohra faction to play ‘major role’ PATIALA, May 3 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra today indicated that his faction would be a major player on the national scene as it was expected to form part of a Third front in the Lok Sabha elections. |
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 BathindaFatehgarh Sahib Hoshiarpur Jalandhar Ludhiana Muktsar Nawanshahr Patiala Sangrur
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Custodial death: Govt
told to give Rs 5 lakh to widow BATHINDA, May 3 — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the Punjab Government to award Rs 5 lakh to Mrs Gurmeet Kaur of Lehragagga (Sangrur) as interim relief as her husband Mela Singh (allegedly died in police custody due to torture on December 2, 1994. Restrain
juniors, Amarinder told Badal
hits out at Cong Kanwaljit:
split not to affect poll results Heat
claims two lives in Amritsar 90
forest fires in Hoshiarpur district Dalit
drain vs Akali pond Three
held for stealing vehicles |
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SAD leader attacks Capt
Kanwaljit FATEHGARH SAHIB, May 3 — Although the SAD has decided to launch its election campaign in the state from Fatehgarh Sahib on May 14, things may not go smoothly for the dominant Badal faction because of divisions in the Badal camp itself. The District has traditionally been a stronghold of Mr Badal's arch rival Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and his men still wield considerable influence here. Mr Badal has deputed Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister to strengthen the party unit in the district. With this in mind Capt Kanwaljit addressed a workers meeting here yesterday. But only one faction of the Badal camp attended with another faction boycotting it. Addressing a press conference here today Kanwar Rajesh Pal Singh Lalli, a senior Akali leader and a confidant of Mr Badal alleged that Capt Kanwaljit Singh was weakening the Badal faction and trying to create his own following in the district. He charged him with favouring the opportunists and ignoring genuine Akali workers. He said if he continued with this, the Badal faction could even split. He demanded that a neutral person be deputed to look after party affairs in the district, if a split was to be averted. He said Didar Singh Bhatti, who was elected district jathedar of the SAD by delegates, should be given charge of party affairs in the district. He also charged that the district president of Youth Akali Dal Gurpreet Singh Shergil, who has considerable influence among youth was never invited to any party workers meeting. The resentment in the Badal faction will make it difficult for Mr Badal to offset the influence of Mr Tohra. Meanwhile, a Tohra
loyalist told The Tribune today that they were going to
form a separate wing of the SAD and the district
office-bearers will be declared in a day or two. |
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Tohra faction to play
‘major role’ PATIALA, May 3 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra today indicated that his faction would be a major player on the national scene as it was expected to form part of a Third front in the Lok Sabha elections. "We will play a major role at the national level and not only in state-level politics", said Mr Tohra while addressing a Press conference here. Mr Tohra said the strategy of his faction for the Lok Sabha poll would be decided only after May 20, the timing given by Bhai Ranjit Singh to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to explain his actions. He, however, indicated that the "poor man's party", the Bahujan Samaj Party, was a natural ally of his faction. The former SGPC President said the "private limited company" of Mr Badal would be rejected by the people of Punjab in the elections. His faction would go to the people with the issue of the Chief Minister being a "traitor" to the Panth. The Akali leader said there was factionalism in the Akali Dal because Mr Badal had violated the hukamnama of Akal Takht. The Chief Minister had compounded the error by instigating SGPC members to violate the hukamnama. Mr Tohra said organisational elections had not taken place in the Akali Dal for more than two years. However, he declined to make a demand in this connection, saying he would show his cards at the appropriate time. Mr Tohra accused the Chief Minister of indulging in indiscipline, saying the latter had issued whips without taking the party Working Committee into his confidence. He said the Chief
Minister was "lying" that water would not be
given to Haryana. This was being done through Khanauri,
he claimed. |
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Malta boat tragedy HOSHIARPUR, May 3 — The Malta boat tragedy probe panel screened Murder in Mediterranean Sea" at a convention held at Jain Dharamsala here today. The film is directed by documentary Kamal Taylan, who was assigned the job by a famous television company of Germany, A.R.D. Mr Balwant Singh Khera, chairman of the panel, said Taylan worked for 16 months and visited India, France, Italy and other countries to collect facts and interview eye-witnesses regarding this ghastly mass murder. He said this 45-minute documentary film was shown on January 6, 1999, on the national network in Germany. Mr Khera demanded that the government of India showed this film on Doordarshan and in the light of fresh revelations, further inquiry be ordered to nab the culprits in India and abroad. He said the film would be shown to the general public at Hoshiarpur on May 25. He said that A.R.D company had presented the panel the cassettes and script of the film. In the light of the new facts and statements of eyewitnesses, the Governments of Italy and Greece had re-opened the case and started prosecution. Taylan had been successful in contacting the captain of the ship carrying the "immigrants" Mr Yusuf-El-Halal, Mr Mandhir Kumar Wahi, alias Bhola, alias Pablo, the brain behind the conspiracy", eyewitnesses Sumittar Singh of India and Thephilius Marianayagam, a Sri Lankan, who had taken refuge in Greece, the Managing-Director of Media Shipping Company, Mr Oliuiera Kevpeceffi, and his wife. Taylan also inspected the ship, Yeohan at present in police custody at Regio Claveria, a sea port in Sicily. He had met Alamangos, a mechanic and a paid employee of the "smugglers" syndicate". He had given important information regarding human trafficking and said he had previously worked on a ship, E.N.A, on which Punjabis were looted. Eyewitness, Sumittar Singh had disclosed that out of the five engines of the ship, only two were working. Mr Khera said the panel
had published a booklet regarding this tragedy which
would be released by the former Prime Minister, Mr I.K.
Gujral, in the third week of May at Delhi. |
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Custodial death BATHINDA, May 3 — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the Punjab Government to award Rs 5 lakh to Mrs Gurmeet Kaur of Lehragagga (Sangrur) as interim relief as her husband Mela Singh (allegedly died in police custody due to torture on December 2, 1994. Deciding the petition filed by Mrs Gurmeet Kaur on February 11, 1995, the NHRC also told the Punjab Government that an inquiry into the incident should be conducted by a senior officer not below the rank of an Inspector-General of Police. The state government and the Director-General of Police shall authorise such investigation which was to be completed within two months from March 26, 1999, it said. According to a report submitted by the investigation division of the commission in this custodial death, Mela Singh was picked up by the Lehragagga police on November 27, 1994, following his involvement in a dispute with Mange Ram. In the dispute, Mange Ram sustained serious injuries and was shifted to the Civil Hospital. When Jagdev Singh, brother of Mela Singh, accompanied by other villagers, went to the police station to seek his release, Station House Officer Darbara Singh told them to reach a compromise with Mange Ram. Jagdev Singh paid Rs 10,000 to Mange Ram while Rs 5,000 was reportedly given to the SHO as bribe. As the SHO's demand was for more, Jagdev Singh was detained in the police station. To extract more money from him the police allegedly started beating up Mela Singh. Jagdev Singh was witness to all this. Mela Singh died in police custody on December 2, 1994. The report further revealed that the police tampered with the record to cover up the custodial death and did not record the statement of Mange Ram till January, 1998. The role of the Dharampal Gupta, the then SDM Sunam (now SDM, Phagwara) who conducted the magisterial inquiry into this incident also attracted adverse notice. While drawing the proceedings under Section 176, Cr PC, he did not prepare any document, inquest panchnama, or take photographs of the place of incident. The SDM also did not write the brief facts of the case, a recorded the statement of the witness on the same day, which was his duty as a Magistrate. He actually started his inquiry on December 5, 1994, recording a consolidating statement of over 100 villagers. The villagers therein had clearly stated to him that Mela Singh had died due to torture in police custody, yet he ignored their evidences and showed the death due to acute myocardial infarction, terming it as natural death and that no one be blamed for it. Mr Gupta when questioned by the commission, claimed that none of the witnesses had mentioned about the police torture, while the statement recorded by him showed that the villagers had said so. When he was shown the statements, he had no explanation to offer. The report further said the post-mortem was examination was carried out by Dr K.S. Sodhi on the request of the police and not on the direction of the Magistrate. It should have been conducted by a panel of doctors or by an expert in custodial death cases. In this case, no forensic expert conducted the post-mortem. While Dr Sodhi was being examined at the Circuit House, a large number of villagers accused him of conniving with the police. The commission also
recommended that the Punjab government was at liberty to
initiate proceedings to recover this sum from those who
by their highhandedness had subjected the government to
this liability. |
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Restrain juniors, Amarinder told PATIALA, May 3 — Punjab Pradesh Congress General Secretary Birdevinder Singh, while urging PPCC President Capt Amarinder Singh to respect the aspirations and suggestions of his colleagues, said today that conditions should not be created which forced him to go to Delhi to explain his point of view to party President Sonia Gandhi. In an exclusive interview to The Tribune, Mr Birdevinder Singh asked the PPCC president "control his pets", including junior functionaries, from making statements against him. Mr Birdevinder Singh said there was no reason for anyone to take offence at his suggestion that party leaders should look beyond their families. He was reacting to the proposed candidature of Mrs Preneet Kaur wife of Capt for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat. He said the PPCC president had in the past criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for propagating family rule and should not now give an impression that he was no better. Mr Birdevinder Singh added that he was only supplementing the view put forth by Capt Amarinder Singh that he did not want to fight the Lok Sabha elections as he would get bogged down to one constituency. If Mrs Preneet Kaur, were to contest from Patiala, the PPCC chief would be similarly bogged down. The Congress leader said he knew the originators of the defamation campaign against him but did not want to react in a similar fashion as it would harm the prospects of the party at this juncture. "I joined the party
in 1978 when it had been defeated both in the Centre and
the state and have stayed with it for 21 years in the
most trying circumstances. These people were nowhere
during those times and leave and come back at their
convenience" he added. |
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Badal hits out at Cong MIDDUKHERA (Muktsar), May 3 — Although the Election Commission is yet to announce the dates for the Lok Sabha poll, Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Parkash Singh Badal today launched the campaign for the Faridkot seat from the local gurdwara. Addressing a gathering here he categorically stated that he had not come for any political purposes. However, he repeatedly, attacked the policies of the Congress in his speech. Mr Badal said it was the party which had imposed "unwanted" elections on people and added that people would hold the Congress responsible for the poll which would cost more than Rs 1000 crore. He alleged that to grab power, the Congress had earlier betrayed at least five prime ministers. In Punjab the party had adopted a policy of "divide and rule" to remain in power. The SAD President alleged that the Congress was responsible for terrorism in the state and anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and other parts of the country in 1984. It was the party which became a stumbling block in the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. He pointed out that the problem of waterlogging in Muktsar and other areas of Punjab was a result of the neglect of the previous Congress government. He added that the Punjab government had spent about Rs 200 crore last year on checking the problem. Mr Badal said Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee would campaign for SAD candidates in Punjab while he himself would go to other states to address rallies of BJP candidates. He added that the party was yet to take a decision about its candidates. Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industries, said the Punjab Government had decided to set up a Rs 45 crore sugar mill in the Malout area. Appealing to people to unite, he said they should give a crushing defeat to the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll. Later talking to reporters, he said the SAD's poll plank would be the state's development in the past two years. Asked whether the SAD should give the ticket to sitting MPs, he said it was the prerogative of the party president to select candidates. Mr Gurdas Singh Badal, former MP, and Mr Chiranji Lal Garg and Mr Gurdev Singh Badal (ministers) were also present. Mr Badal later met party
workers at Badal village. |
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Kanwaljit: split not to affect
poll results SANGRUR, May 3 — Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister has said the electoral fortunes of SAD-BJP alliance candidates will not be affected in the ensuing mid-term Lok Sabha elections in case of a formal split by the faction led by former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra as the rank and file were with Chief Minister and SAD president Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Capt. Kanwaljit Singh was talking to mediapersons after presiding over the founder's day function of the local General Gurnam Singh public School here last evening. In reply to a question regarding the reported threat of Mr Tohra to derecognise Mr Badal as party president if he failed to present himself before dismissed Jathedar of Akal Takht Bhai Ranjit Singh before the deadline set by him, Capt Kanwaljit Singh retorted that it would not have any affect because the SAD leaders and workers were solidly behind Mr Badal. Derecognition by Mr Tohra would have no meaning, he added. Referring to the demand by Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a close confidant of Mr Tohra, to roll back the hike on octroi rates, the Finance Minister quipped: "Mr Chandumajra is speaking now. Where was he earlier.". Earlier, he announced a
grant of Rs 1 lakh for the school. |
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Heat claims two lives in Amritsar CHANDIGARH, May 3 (UNI) — The unprecedented heatwave sweeping most of the north-west now in its fourth week, claimed two lives in Punjab while Hisar in Haryana with 47.3°C temperature, seven degrees plus above normal, continued to be the hottest place in the region. In Amritsar, an unidentified beggar was found dead on Bhandari Bridge yesterday while a rickshaw puller died of dehydration in the Majitha Road area today as the city reported a high of 41°C. The Punjab Government today ordered closure of schools all over the state by 11.30 a.m. with immediate effect. Hot winds forced the people in and around Hisar to stay indoors. The city of the Taj Mahal (Agra) recorded a high of 45°C while Palam (Delhi), both about five degrees above normal. However, the day temperature in and around Safdarjung (south Delhi) hovered around 44°C after touching the highest of the season at 44.4°C last Saturday. Chandigarh and Srinagar and some other places saw a drop in day temperatures under the influence of a western disturbances lying over north-Pakistan and adjoining areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In Chandigarh, the maximum today was 40.8°C, against 41.2°C yesterday while Srinagar recorded a high of 22.2°C. In Himachal Pradesh small forest fires added to the heat and misery of the people. Shimla reported a high of 28°C six degrees above normal. The weathermen held out
hopes of some respite from the heat in the shape of light
to moderate rains and thunder showers at isolated places
in Himachal Pradesh but predicted dust storms and thunder
storms at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana over the
next two days under the influence of western
disturbances. |
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90 forest fires in
Hoshiarpur district HOSHIARPUR, May 3 — Keeping in view the recent fire in various forests of Hoshiarpur district a fire control room having a telephone No. 22715 has been set up at the Divisional Forest Office, Hoshiarpur. This was disclosed by Mr G. Romesh Additional Deputy Commissioner who is officiating as Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur while talking to this correspondent here today. He said that there were
90 instances of fire which affected about 5000 hectares
of forest in the district seven per cent of the total
forests in the district. He said that the fire were
mainly ground fire fuelled by dry leaves and the wood of
particular bushes. He appreciated the efforts of the
inhabitants of Patial and Malout village, especially
women, in combating fire. He said that no inhabitation
had been affected by fire. However a many wild animals
were killed. 200 fire watchers had been deployed in
instructions issued to panchayats for performing thikri
pehras round the clock. |
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Dalit drain vs Akali pond NAWANSHAHR, May 3 — The issue of draining waste water from a Dalit basti into a pond situated near a gurdwara in the Jethumazara village which turned violent recently now acquired a political flavour and could snowball into a major election issue into the coming Lok Sabha polls. Some days ago local Akali leaders staged a dharna and blocked traffic to protest against the construction of the drain to drain water from the basti into the pond. Today BSP activists led by Mr Harbhajan Lakha, former MP, Mr Shingararam Sahunngra, MLA, Mr Hargopal Singh, former MLA, Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, general secretary, Mr Lal Singh Sulhani, vice-president, Mr Darshan Lal Jethumazara, secretary of the state unit of the BSP today took out a protest march to protest against detention of two of their party workers by the police, allegedly at the behest of local Akali leaders. They also submitted a
memorandum to the DC, demanding the arrest of the persons
responsible for the firing incident in the village and
sought providing security for the local Dalits. |
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Three held for stealing vehicles JALANDHAR, May 3 (PTI) — The police today busted a five-member gang of vehicle thieves arresting three of them on a tip-off. Two stolen cars were recovered from them with fake registration papers and numberplates. All five hail from Srinagar in Kashmir, Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said here. He said while Sameer Qadir, Gulam Qadir and Riaz were arrested at a checkpost here, a hunt was on for Altaf and Hazi, both residents of Pandoh in Srinagar. A police party had been sent to Jammu and Kashmir for further investigation. Mr Yadav said the gang used to re-sell stolen vehicles by preparing forged documents and numberplates. The three who were arrested had admitted to stealing a large number of vehicles. The accused had been
remanded to police custody till Friday. |
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School timings changed CHANDIGARH, May 3 — The Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, has announced a change in school timings with immediate effect in view of the ongoing scorching heat wave in the state. The new timings in
government schools up to May 31 will be from 7 am to
11.30 am, according to an official press note released
here today. |
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Mustafa is DIG CHANDIGARH, May 3 — Mr Mohammed Mustafa has been posted as DIG, Faridkot range, in place of Mr G.S. Mann, who has been appointed as DIG, PAP, Chandigarh. Mr R.L. Bhagat has been
posted as Senior Superintendent of Police, Khanna,
according to information available here today. |
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CM urged to withdraw hike
in hospital charges CHANDIGARH, May 3 — Mr Balwant Singh, Secretary, Punjab State Committee of CPM, has urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to withdraw the hike ordered in various charges in hospitals attached with government medical colleges in the state. He said the hike in charges was unjustified and it would put a heavy burden on all sections of society. He said the main purpose of setting up government hospitals was to provide treatment to people almost free. This objective had been defeated following commercialisation of medical services in such hospitals, he added. Meanwhile, Mr Brahm
Mohindra, former Medical Education Minister, has also
urged the State Government to withdraw the hike in
charges. |
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Future of tourism staff in
'jeopardy' CHANDIGARH, May 3 — The Joint Action Committee of the Punjab Tourism Karamchari Dal and the Punjab Tourism Employees Union said here today that the future of employees of the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation was in jeopardy as the Punjab Government had started the process of privatisation of tourist complexes in the state. In a joint statement Mr Surjit Singh Saini and Mr Mangal Singh Hundal, co-conveners of the committee, said the Punjab Government had already floated a tender for handing over Amaltas Hotel at Ludhiana, owned by the corporation, to private parties. They said as many as 40 to 50 employees posted there would become jobless following the handing over of the hotel to a private party. They alleged that the government wanted to favour a certain private company by handing over the hotel to that organisation. They said the corporation was in profit and still tourism complexes were being handed over to private parties. The committee has
decided to organise a protest rally at Chandigarh on May
11 against the government decision. |
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PUTA: Prevent VC from taking
action PATIALA, May 3 — Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) president Surinder Singh Khaira today appealed to University Chancellor B.K.N. Chhibber to stop Vice-Chancellor Dr J.S. Puar from taking any vindictive action against senior faculty members in the last few days of his tenure ending this month. In a statement here, he said the Vice-Chancellor was in the process of initiating action against senior faculty leaders who had been highlighting the violation of university rules by him. He said any hasty action at this juncture against teachers would lack moral sanction. He warned of serious consequences if the Vice-Chancellor went ahead with this move by feeding the Chancellor with wrong information. He claimed that the
atmosphere in the university was already surcharged
because of the teachers' ongoing agitation, demanding the
immediate removal of Dr Puar and registration of a
criminal case against him on the basis a vigilance
inquiry that found him guilty of misappropriation of
public funds. |
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Cong to gain from SAD feud:
Bitta LUDHIANA, May 3 — The former president of the All-India Youth Congress, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, has said that the Congress will gain from the feud between SAD leaders during the ensuing Lok Sabha poll. Talking to reporters here last night, Mr Bitta said Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Bhai Ranjit Singh would lose politically due to the tussle and would be on the same platform as Mr Simranjit Singh Mann. He said militants lodged
in various jails should be transferred to jails in
Karnataka and Rajasthan as the Punjab Government had
"a soft corner for them." |
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Boy missing: parents, others
block traffic JALANDHAR, May 3 — Disillusioned with the local police to trace their missing son Gagan, his parents accompanied by over 400 agitated residents of Dakhoa village stopped traffic at the G.T. road here, for over three hours today. The traffic was stopped at the Rama Mandi junction by the protesters, who allege, that 14-year-old Gagan had been missing since one month. He had not been traced due to the lackadaisical approach of the police. Though the police had arrested four suspects but had released them due to pressure, the protesters alleged. On intervention and assurance by the S.P. (city), Mr Pawan Uppal, and S.P. (city II), Mr A.S. Chahal, the protesters dispersed. The police has constituted a committee under a DSP detective to inquire into the case. Meanwhile the Samata
Party, General Secretary, Mr Arun Pappu, alleged if the
missing boy was not raced within 15 days, demonstrations
would be held in front of the S.S.P's and the D.C.'s
office. |
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FCI payment problem solved BATHINDA, May 3 — Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said today that the crisis created in various grain markets of Rampuraphul following the dishonouring of cheques of the Food Corporation of India had been sorted out. In a press note issued here, he said the credit limit of the FCI in the local branch of the State Bank of Patiala, for procurement of wheat had been increased from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2.5 crore. He said due to the
negligence of district level officials of the FCI
commission agents and farmers had faced problems in
getting payments within the stipulated period. He said a
team of senior FCI officials would inquire into the
incident and the guilty would be punished. |
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Telecom facilities for soldiers PATIALA, May 3 — The Divisional Telecom Department has accepted the demand of Patiala Consumers and Telephone Subscribers Forum for providing special facilities to decorated or disabled soldiers and war widows. This category will get free installation of connection, 50 per cent remission in normal rent and placement in the special list of telephone subscribers. Maj (Retd) Surjit Singh
Bedi, president of the forum, said in a press note that
the Government of India had in 1995 approved these
special facilities for military personnel. |
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Demand for parity in pension LUDHIANA, May 3 — The annual general body meeting of the Northern Railway Pensioners Welfare Association was held here yesterday. Mr Sher Singh, president of the association, urged the Railway and Finance Ministries to accept the association's demands, including those relating to the delay in the payment of medical allowance, provision of an office room for the association, attendant fare and "full parity" in pension for all. Mr Sher Singh criticised
junior-level Railway officers for not signing
complimentary passes promptly and urged the authorities
to look into the matter. |
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