Friday, May 28, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, May 28, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Sikh
panel hearing on June 10 SGPC report by July-end |
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Farmers
along border to get compensation Punjab to wind up poultry
corporation AIDS bomb ticking away PIL on charges against Kaushal
dismissed A crumbling Quila Farmers lose land, protest No action against dowry death
accused Cricket 'satta' claims life Mill worker's murder mystery
solved Cash award for informants Development authority for
Anandgarh Tributes paid to Nehru Security sought for chetna yatra Ramoowalia's threat Two missing girls found in Mumbai BJP, Akali workers to meet in
Ropar BJP, Akali workers to meet in
Ropar Notification on revised scales Army man dies in blast |
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Sikh panel hearing on June 10 AMRITSAR, May 27 — The Sikh Gurdwara, Judicial Commission today fixed June 10 for arguments in the case filed by the pro-Tohra SGPC member, Mr Sarup Singh Dhesi, against 10 Badal loyalist office-bearers of the SGPC. The counsel for Hardalbir Singh Shah today submitted his detailed reply. The counsel, in its reply alleged that the petitioners had not given two months' notice under the Gurdwara Act, of 1925, as the present application had been filed against the executive committee members and thus sought its dismissal. Mr Dhesi in his petition under Section 142 filed on February 1 against the senior vice president, Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, the general secretary, Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah, and eight other members of the SGPC executive Mr Kewal Singh Badal; Mr Bhagwant Singh; Mr Satnam Singh, Mr Suba Singh; Mr Mal Singh Ghuman; Mr Gurpal Singh Gora and Mr Jog Singh had sought their disqualification. The respondents were members of the former executive committee which was disbanded with the removal of the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The defence counsel further contended that the petitioner was a close confidant of Mr Tohra and he had filed this application at his direction. The counsel alleged that the petitioner was not aware of the various sections of the Gurdwara Act and the meaning of 'patit' (not practising Sikhism) and on this basis he had demanded the application should be dismissed. He also claimed that the petitioner had not provided any proof regarding himself being a follower of the Sikh faith and Amritdhari. The counsel further pointed out in his written statement the petitioner had incorrectly mentioned the unfortunate political acrimony between the SGPC chief, Mr Tohra and the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal which had resulted in the issuing of a 'hukamnama' by the then Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh on December 31 seeking to restraint both factions. The counsel stated that the name of the Chief Minister was needlessly dragged in the controversy. He added that Mr Badal being President of the Akali Dal had no involvement in the functioning of the SGPC and the petitioner through his application had tried to malign Mr Badal. He also added that all SGPC members, Akali ministers, MLAs, and jathedars had authorised Mr Badal to draw up plans for the Tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth. The defence counsel further contended that the duties of all jathedars of Sikh Takhts were defined as per the Gurdwara Act 1925. In the present case the
'hukamnama issued on December 31, he alleged, was to
protect Mr Tohra. He pointed out that the respondents had
not disobeyed the hukamnama and it should have been
issued within the purview of the SGPC Act. |
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Irregularities during Tohra regime AMRITSAR, May 27 — Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the SGPC has said that a committee would be constituted to prepare a draft of the proposed "white paper" to expose glaring financial and other irregularities committed during the 25-year-long tenure of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The committee comprising SGPC office-bearers, senior auditors and functionaries would submit its report by July-end. Talking to TNS here today, Bibi Jagir Kaur said it was a matter of concern that the accounts of the SGPC could not be audited for the past 10 years. Under the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, the accounts of the committee had to be audited every year. However, Mr Surjit Singh, a former SGPC secretary and a staunch supporter of Mr Tohra admitted that the accounts of the committee could not be audited since 1980. He, however, said the fault was with the state government which did not appoint auditors in spite of the fact that a number of reminders were sent by the SGPC from time to time. He claimed that the SGPC wrote to Mr Beant Singh, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Mr Badal to appoint the auditors at the earliest, but to no avail. Bibi Jagir Kaur, however, on the other hand alleged that there were glaring irregularities in the functioning of colleges, schools and other institution being run by the SGPC. She further said she had received a number of complaints about the financial irregularities committed during the presidentship of Mr Tohra which needed a thorough probe. She said it was the duty of the office-bearers to make SGPC's functioning transparent. In yet another significant statement, the SGPC Chief said that delegates of SGPC would visit Pakistan shortly with a request to disband the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (PGPC), headed by a former Chief of ISI. She said that jathas would not be sent to Pakistan unless the PGPC was disbanded. She further said the SGPC would take a strong view in case the Tohra camp entertained applications of Sikh devotees, who wanted to visit Sikh shrines in Pakistan directly. She said this was an "illegal" act as it was the prerogative of the SGPC to send jathas to Pakistan. Bibi Jagir Kaur said the officials of the SGPC might meet Mr Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, if needed, for disbanding the PGPC. The SGPC President said that a "Sikh University" would be established at Anandpur Sahib shortly. There would be no paucity of funds for the proposed university, she said. Bibi Jagir Kaur said
that the PGPC would observe the "Ghallughara
Divas" on June 6 at Akal Takht where rich tributes
would be paid to those who died during the Operation Blue
Star. |
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Party delegates alone can
remove me:CM LAKHEWALI (Muktsar), May 27 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supremo and Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said that party delegates alone could remove him from the presidentship of the party. Talking to mediapersons here today, he said Mr Tohra and his associates could not remove him from the presidentship of the party. "Only SAD delegates have the right to remove the president of the party," he explained He said a party delegates conference would be held at Amritsar on June 15 and the issue could be settled then. Mr Badal claimed Mr Tohra would not be able to enlist the support of even 5 per cent of the delegates. To a question, he said names of party candidates for the coming elections would be announced when poll dates were declared by the Election Commission. To another question, he
said Congress leader Jagmeet Brar was making a false
allegation that 60,000 bogus voters had been registered
in the Faridkot parliamentary constituency. |
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Punjab Cabinet meets CHANDIGARH, May 27 — While fencing and flood lighting of 553 km stretch of Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab has contributed substantially to beefing up security, at the same time it has also created several problems and hardships for the people living in the three districts namely, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Ferozepore close to the border. Several hundred farmers own land across the fence and face difficulty in cultivating the same. This has resulted in economic loss to them. This issue has been pending with the Centre for pretty long. a detailed note on the subject was given to the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, when he visited the border belt on June 20, 1998. In that note the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, pointed out that total land of farmers in the three districts beyond the barbed wire was 16,857 acres. The compensation worked out and the amount demanded was over Rs 6 crore. The state has now received a sum of nearly Rs 6 crore from the discretionary fund of the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, which is available for disbursement to the affected farmers. Leaving aside the micro-details of who gets how much, the Council of Ministers, which met here on Wednesday night, has decided to hold a function on June 5 next to disburse the compensation money to the farmers. With the Lok Sabha poll not very far, the aim is to cash in on the goodwill the disbursement will generate. The minister concerned,
Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, told TNS: "While date, June
5, has been agreed upon, the venue of the function will
be finalised in consultation with the Chief
Minister". |
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Punjab to wind up poultry
corporation CHANDIGARH, May 27 — There is lot of anger, resentment, panic and a sense of insecurity among the employees as the Punjab Government has decided to wind up the Punjab Poultry Development Corporation. "Though officially nothing has been conveyed to us in this connection but we know what will be our fate", said a group of employees of corporation reacting on the government's decision. But the Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister,Mr Rattan Singh when contacted by TNS confirmed that the state government had decided to close the corporation. "It has been in the red for the past several years and the accumulated loss of the corporation is in crores", he said. "We have offered a golden handshake to employees who could not be adjusted in other government departments" said Mr Rattan Singh. But employees like clerical and Class IV staff would be adjusted in the government departments where vacancies exist. However, employees do not believe what the government says. They say that in 1992 a committee was set up by the government for winding up the corporations in the red. Then the committee had recommended that the staff be from the corporations to be closed should be adjusted elsewhere in government departments. But in 1995 the recommendations of the committee were amended and the word corporation was excluded from these. It means that the government had no responsibility with regard to adjusting of the spare staff elsewhere. Mr Rattan Singh said the golden handshake offer would be on the Central pattern. When Mr Manmohan Singh was the Union Finance Minister he had come out with a golden handshake criteria to axe staff from public sector undertakings running in loss. The assets of the corporation would be sold. There are five feed-producing plants. Of these three are at Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur are lying closed for the past several months. Only plants located in Chandigarh and Patiala are functioning. But most of these are taken on rent by the corporation. There are more than 150 employees on the rolls of corporation. Nearly 65 of them are said to be technical hands who could not be adjusted in government departments. But employees say that all employees could be adjusted. The government was just making an excuse to remove technical employees by adopting the golden handshake scheme. Employees say that the corporation could be in profit if its affairs are handled in a professional manner and provided protection by the government from the fierce competition in the market. Earlier they say that the corporation was in profit when the government was providing raw material like rice bran and molasses on controlled rates to the corporation. But for the past many years the corporation was buying raw material at the market price and it had raised the production cost manifold. The employees said the authorities concerned were resorting to various methods to force the employees to accept the golden handshake. Salaries of employees were also delayed. They said the state government had adopted a wrong path. Instead of improving the functioning of the corporation, it had decided to wind up the corporation. They said experts were
of the view that poultry sector would be main supplier of
the food to the world in coming years and India would be
a leader country in this sector. Giving due weightage to
the view of the experts,the government should change its
decision accordingly, they added. |
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AIDS bomb ticking away LUDHIANA, May 27 — The biggest city of Punjab, Ludhiana is sitting on an AIDS bomb, ticking away to an almost certain explosion sooner rather than later. A sudden spurt in the number of AIDS cases reported since the beginning of this year from all over the district has set alarm bells ringing. During the first four months of the current calendar year, as many as 30 AIDS cases have been reported in the city as against 39 during the whole of 1998. And as Dr Jatinder Nayyar, District AIDS Officer, Ludhiana, points out for every one case brought to the notice of the government, there are at least 10 cases which go unreported. The number of confirmed AIDS cases reported in Ludhiana in 1997 was 47, 1996 — 46, 1995 — 33, 1994 — 18, 1993 — 21, 1992 — 6 and 1991 — 5 making for a total of 249 AIDS cases since the beginning of the official AIDS control programme in 1988. There have been 10 AIDS-related deaths. An analysis of the figures shows that till 1995, there were only 87 AIDS cases reported in the district. But during the period from 1996 to April 30, 1999 the number of cases reported is 168. "The trend is clear", says Dr Nayyer. "The disease is spreading rapidly and unless measures are taken on a war footing to control it, the situation will go from bad to worse". Breakdown of traditional
barriers and removal of sexual restraints are among the
factors identified as contributing to the rapid spread of
the disease. The megacity also has a large population of
migratory labour from UP and Bihar working in its
factories. They are regarded as a high-risk group as they
are neither properly educated nor aware of the dangers of
the problem. Since most of them are away from their
families they indulge in casual sex, exposing themselves
to AIDS. |
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PIL on charges against Kaushal dismissed CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a public interest writ petition filed by Mr S.S. Bajwa, an Akali Patrika correspondent, levelling serious allegations against Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, a Punjab cadre IAS officer during his tenure as Senior Regional Manager of the Food Corporation of India. Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal, who constituted the Bench, held: "Mr S.S. Bajwa filed the petition making wild and baseless allegations." In a serious indictment of Mr Bajwa, the Bench held that the petitioner "who claims himself to be journalist" should have verified the press reports on which he was relying before making allegations. "The news item which appeared in the press is obviously false," the Bench held and added: "It may be mentioned that soon after the publication of the press report the FCI prominently published a denial in the press and stated that some persons having vested interests were trying to tarnish the image of the corporation and that no gunny bags had been purchased from any private party and that gunny bags were purchased at the prices fixed by the Government of India." The Bench further observed that the petitioner did not refer to the denial (of the news items) by the corporation in his petition and filed the present petition making wild and baseless allegations against the respondents. "We have, therefore, no hesitation in dismissing the writ petition. Ordered accordingly." In his detailed reply to the allegations levelled against him, Mr Kaushal had stated before the High Court that Mr Bajwa had not approached the High Court "with clean hands" and that "he was actuated by personal and extraneous considerations" in filing his public interest petition. Mr Kaushal further stated that Mr Bajwa was a front man of a coterie facing CBI investigation and his primary objective in filing a petition against him was to create a smokescreen and confuse the investigators. It was also stated that Mr Bajwa was not known at all as a public spirited person. After completing his
deputation with the FCI, Mr Kaushal is now working as
Special Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister,
Mr Parkash Singh Badal. |
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Quila restoration work PATIALA, May 25 — Quila Mubarak, a unique example of the adaptablity of the Punjabis to combine the best of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture, is languishing for want of conservation as the state government refuses to use the resources at its command and denies funds to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out repairs. The ASI, which was handed over work of structural conservation of the Quila last year following a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has made an assessment of the funds needed to carry out restoration work of the Ranwas complex. The later addition to Quila having been constructed after 1857 by Maharaja Narinder Singh essentially for marriages and banquets. The ASI has made an assessment of Rs 42 lakh for restoration of parts of the Ranwas which need immediate attention, including its main gate, wood panelling on the ceiling at the entrance, repair of a roof on the second storey which has caved in, stopping seepage in certain painted chambers and giving structural support to the main banquet hall. The state government has paid the ASI Rs 10 lakh but the agency has refused to start work till the entire amount is paid. Even as the stalemate continues, the staff which is housed in the Quila Mubarak and which will be used for restoration work by the government, are idle for nearly three years as no funds have been provided to them to carry out work. This includes three Assistant Conservators and an Archaeological Engineer besides staff of an archaeology and museum laboratory which is the only one of its kind in the state. Staff members admitted they were drawing salaries for doing practically nothing. A visit to the Ranwas revealed that while some of its painted chambers have been destroyed recently for want of repairs, a few others are on the brink of destruction if they are not attended to immediately. The roof of a chamber on the second storey has collapsed, ruining one painted chamber. Now its debris is exerting pressure on the ceiling of the chamber below it which is also in danger of collapse. The Ranwas is also threatened by a state chemical laboratory which is allegedly causing damage to the structure due to improper drainage facilities. It is alleged that chemicals are affecting the lower portion of the Ranwas. This charge is contested by laboratory staff. However, the laboratory has resulted in collection of empty plastic bottles and dirt in the complex. The laboratory was supposed to move out last year but this did not happen. The coming monsoon could be critical for the Ranwas. The need is urgent repairs to the ceiling of the chamber roof which has caved in, besides giving structural support to the main banquet hall as the chambers on top it are exerting pressure on it. In the Quila and roof itself urgent restoration work is needed in Moti Mahal. This includes a rectangular dancing floor with various elevations for the Maharaja and other nobles. The room's roof is caving in as the old rafters, which were used to repair it in 1981, are no longer able to support it. Besides this there are 13 painted chambers in the Quila which need immediate attention. At present work on the restoration of only one chamber is going on which is being done by the National Regional Laboratory for conservation (NRLC), Lucknow, which is the only approved UNESCO laboratory in South-East Asia. However the NRLC faces an uphill task in restoring all chambers with work having been stopped some time ago for want of chemicals. Another problem which needs to be addressed in the Quila is the faulty repair work done earlier, including use to iron and mortar. Right now while the earliest structures which were constructed by using wood, lime and burnished brick have survived, those repaired by using modern day cement and iron are peeling off. Heavy rain in 1993 had
resulted in a portion of the Quila collapsing following
which the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered
restoration of the Quila Mubarak in two years. Work was
going on for some time on the Quila after this. Around
two years ago when a portion of the ranwas structure
collapsed, the high court took suo motu action and
directed that structural conservation work of the ranwas
should be given to a reputed agency following which the
ASI was entrusted the task. |
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Farmers lose land, protest PATIALA, May 27 — At least 200 residents of Dadhera village near here who have been tilling 24 acres of land for the past 50 years are being dispossessed of their land following starting of work on the construction of a focal point. The affected persons, whose forefathers had migrated from UP, are being deprived of the land after village panchayat passed a resolution giving it to the government for building of a focal point. However several persons have come forward with stay orders from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to stay construction. Talking to TNS, Babu Singh said he and Bachna and others had filed writ petitions in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1983, 1984 and 1992. While dispossession was stayed by the court in two cases, a third petition is pending in the High Court but there was no ejectment order against them. Babu Singh said despite the order in their favour, the gram panchayat of Dadhera and the focal point staff were taking steps to dispossess them. The case of Bhagwan Das, Sadhu Ram and Bal Mukand, whose lawyer has served notice on the Panchayati Raj Department informing it of the stay order of his clients, is similar. Official sources, when contacted said some persons had come with stay orders from the High Court following which it had been decided not to start construction activity on their land. However, work on the rest of the land would continue. The farmers say they had taken up cultivation in the area under the 'grow more food' scheme of the Punjab Government in 1956 and that they had made barren land cultivable through sheer hard work. Dadhera sarpanch Ajit Singh, when contacted, said he was helpless in the matter as the previous panchayat had passed the resolution giving the land to the government. He, however, admitted that the families had been tilling the land since the past 50 years. Former Congress
legislator Birdevinder Singh said the stay orders of the
High Court were being violated by dispossessing the
people of their land and piling of bricks and other
building material all over the land. He said his party
would protest against this injustice. |
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No action against dowry
death accused JALANDHAR, May 27 — The police has not arrested, the accused in the dowry death case of May 20 although an FIR was lodged against the victim's in-laws and husband. The victim, Kulwinder Kaur mother of two children, was burnt on May 20 at her-in-laws house in Suchi village near Jalandhar bypass. The victim was brought to the civil hospital, only to be declared dead. The parents and the village sarpanch Mr Vijay Saplaya, however, said here today that even though, an FIR was lodged with the police on May 20 itself, adequate action was not taken. Mr Vijay Saplaya alleged that the woman's husband, Paramjit, had been victimising his wife since the past 5 years. Jalandhar district, has a appalling statistics of dowry deaths with over 100 dowry deaths from January 1997 to date and the police is equally notorious for being insensitive to the victims families'. Academicians and social
workers feel that the actual number of dowry deaths is
considerably higher than mentioned in police records. |
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Cricket 'satta' claims life RAMPURA PHUL, May 27 — Rakesh Kumar (24), a local resident, committed suicide after consuming poison when he failed to pay money he had lost in bet laid on various cricket matches of the ongoing World Cup. Police sources said Rakesh Kumar committed suicide on May 25 when two sub bookies — Gora Lal and Mothu Ram — threatened him of dire consequences as he had failed to pay them Rs 13,000 lost in the cricket "satta". The sources said a case against Pawan Kumar, Mothu Ram (sub bookies) and master bookies, Sat Pal had been registered under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC. The case was registered on the complaint of Prem Kumar, father of deceased. Rakesh Kumar won about Rs 50,000 in the cricket "satta" from the master bookie Sat Pal but Sat Pal refused to pay the amount. Due to the non-payment of the "satta" amount by Sat Pal, Rakesh Kumar could not pay Rs 13,000 to Goral Lal and Mothu Ram. Rakesh Kumar was under depression for the past few days as he was finding itself difficult to pay the amount Rakesh Kumar was recently beaten up by Gora Lal and Mothu Ram the sources said. Betting on sports and political events has become a routine in Bathinda district and the surrounding areas. The sources said in the
ongoing World Cup, bet worth hundreds of crores had been
laid and master bookies were running the show from Delhi
and Bombay through their sub bookies and other agents. |
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Mill worker's murder mystery
solved GURDASPUR, May 27 — The murder of Randhir Singh, alias Dhiro, whose beheaded body was found at a saw mill located at Kotli Shahzada Nangal, near milk plant, here on May 21 took a new turn when Bhupinder Singh, owner of the saw mill, during interrogation confessed his involvement in the murder. Randhir Singh was an employee of the mill. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, briefing newsmen here today said that the accused here in an FIR lodged by him with the police on May 22 had alleged that Narsimha another mill hand, had allegedly killed Randhir Singh. The district police chief said police unable to trace Narsimha suspected the involvement of Bhupinder Singh and took him in custody for interrogation. During his interrogation Bhupinder Singh confessed having murdered Randhir Singh. The police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC. During interrogation Bhupinder Singh, said Randhir Singh had illicit relation with his wife. He found his wife in a compromising position with Randhir Singh at the saw mill on May 20 and decided to kill him. He told the police that on May 21 when all had left the mill and Randhir was sleeping, he placed an electric cutter on his neck and beheaded him. Then he poured burnt mobile oil over his face to conceal blood stains. The district police
chief said during interrogation Bhupinder Singh also
confessed the involvement of one of his family members in
the murder of his sister Ishwinder Kaur and her lover
Rammi. |
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Cash award for informants CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Punjab Government has announced a scheme for giving a cash incentive to informants furnishing clues to its Excise and Taxation department in respect of the evasion of sales tax by unscrupulous traders and transporters. The incentive will be given to persons helping in the search and seizure of incriminating records, interception of transporters engaged in the movement of illicit or smuggled liquor, detection of illegal working stills or smuggled liquor, particularly IMFL. Apart from government officers and staff, the benefits of the incentives scheme have been extended to persons who may not be government employees. The amount of the cash awards goes up to a maximum of Rs two lakh subject to the provision that information given leads to the recovery of incriminating material, involves a penalty up to Rs 5 lakh for tax evasion and entails ‘extraordinary’ effort and risk on the part of the officers concerned in checking illicit distillation and seizure of smuggled liquor. An Excise and Taxation department spokesman said that in order to check rampant tax evasion the department had been engaged on a regular basis in conducting inspections of business promises. However, these checks yielded only routine type of evasion except certain significant detections by the department’s officers. According to a note prepared by the department, most dealers have developed ingenious methods of evasion. Checking up of such dealers requires ‘extraordinary efforts and study of their modus operandi’. The awardees will be selected by a five-man official committee chaired by the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Punjab. The other members of the committee are: Joint Secretary, E and T department; Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Director, E and T department of the Division to which the case relates and the Deputy Controller, Finance and Accounts (Member Secretary). The Government will be
the final authority to decide the eligibility and the
quantum of the rewards. |
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Development authority for Anandgarh CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Punjab Government has issued a notification constituting Town Planning and Development Authority for Anandgarh. The new town, the announcement with regard to which was made at Anandpur Sahib by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, during the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa in April last, will be established between Chandigarh and Anandpur Sahib. Although its exact location has not been finalised it is expected to be near Kurali, nearly 25 km from City Beautiful. It is said to be a fast track project to be completed within two years. According to the notification, the Chief Minister will be the chairman of the Authority and the Chief Secretary will be its vice-chairman. The Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development; Secretary, Public Works; Secretary, Public Health; Mrs Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, a former MP from Ropar; Mr Ravi Inder Singh, MLA from Morinda; Mr J.R. Bhalla, an architect; Prof Veena Gakvella, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi; Mr N.S. Sodhi, a former Chief Engineer, PWD; and a Chief Administrator to be appointed by the government; have been taken as members of the authority. All powers and functions
of the Punjab Urban and Development Authority relating to
development and establishment of the new town of
Anandgarh under the Punjab and Regional Planning and
Development Act, 1995, will be exercised by the new town
authority. |
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Tributes paid to Nehru LUDHIANA, May 27 — Tributes were paid to the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 35th death anniversary, at a function organised at the Nehru Sihant Kendra here today. Mr Prem Nath Gupta was the Chief Guest and the SP (Hqs), Ms Gurpreet Kaur Deo was the guest of honour on the occasion. Scholarships were given to students from various schools and colleges and prizes for the inter-school declamation contest held on May 22 were also presented. Faridkot: The Faridkot Congress Committee organised a district-level function here today. Paying homage to the 'Architect of Modern India' , the speakers called him one of the three founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. They said, Pandit Nehru had led the country on the path of development in various fields like atomic energy, education, industry, power generation and brought about green revolution. Mr Avtar Singh Brar, local MLA, Mr Surinder Gupta and Mr Satish Baghi, president and press secretary of the DCC respectively, also spoke on the occasion. Shimla: Floral tributes were paid to Pandit Nehru by leaders of the Congress here today. A meeting was also organised by the HPCC to mark the occasion. The meeting was presided over by Mr Virbhadra Singh, leader of the Opposition in HP Vidhan Sabha. The senior leaders who paid tributes, included Mr J.B.L. Khachi, MLA, Mrs Vidya Stokes, MLA, and Mrs Asha Kumari, MLA. The members present were administered the "rashtriya ekikaran shapath" by Mr Virbhadra Singh and two-minute silence was observed. Addressing the gathering Mr Virbhadra Singh said as the first Prime Minister of Independent India, Nehru laid strong foundations of a modern and self-reliant India. At a similar meeting at
Nurpur, Mr Sat Mahajan, President of the HPCC, paid
homage to the departed leader and remembered his
affection for and contributions to the state. |
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Security sought for chetna yatra PHAGWARA, May 27 (UNI) — The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) state President Tarun Chugh today alleged that a truck tried to ram into the cavalcade of morcha's "yuva chetna march"near Bhawanigarh on way to Nabha from Sangrur on May 25. The yatra did not have any security cover on this stretch. Talking to mediapersons here he and state press secretary of the morcha Amit Taneja alleged that they had received threats the same evening when yatra reached Ludhiana. An unidentified caller had threatened that they had escaped, alluding to the attempt by the truck, but added that they would be hit again. The morcha leaders sought an inquiry into the lack of security to the yatra on Sangrur-Nabha stretch and the telephonic threat and pleaded for adequate security cover for the week-long yatra, which would conclude at Amritsar on May 30. The yatra was launched from Hussainiwala on May 23 to wean away youth from drugs and other intoxicants and inculcate the spirit of nationalism in them. Mr Chugh said when the truck tried to hit "rathi", a vehicle following it in a bid to steer clear dashed against a roadside tree, resulting in injuries to four persons, including BJYM state Vice-President Parmjit Singh, his gunman and two morcha workers. The injured have been admitted at Government Rajindra Hospital at Patiala, he added. M Chugh said that
yatra's concluding rally at Amritsar on May 30 would be
addressed by Union Minister Uma Bharati, BJP General
Secretary Narender, Modi, BJYM national President
Ramashish Rai and BJP state President Daya Singh Sodhi
and others. |
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Ramoowalia's threat PHAGWARA, May 27 (UNI) — Punjabi Bhalai Party President Balwant Singh Ramoowalia today threatened to disclose a Central Government letter on June 1 if the Punjab Government did not clarify its position in respect of the Rs 300 crore compensation allegedly announced by the Vajpayee government for paddy growers who suffered severe losses during the last season in the state. Claiming that the Vajpayee government had announced a compensation package of Rs 300 and Rs 250 crore for Punjab and Andhra Pradesh on October 26 last, Mr Ramoowalia said while Andhra Pradesh had received the entire compensation money four days later on October 30, Punjab had not received a single paisa so far. "Let Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal clarify it by May 31, failing which I will disclose the Central Government's letter on June 1", he said. Mr Ramoowalia, a Rajya
Sabha MP, said his party would explore the possibility of
a third front in Punjab for the coming midterm Lok Sabha
poll by July 15 after which it would announce the party
candidates for six seats of Ludhiana, Phillaur, Patiala,
Sangrur, Bathinda and Tarn Taran. |
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Two missing girls found in Mumbai BATALA, May 27 (UNI) — Two teenaged girls, who fled their homes here 10 days ago fearing early marriage by their parents at the cost of their education, have been rescued from Mumbai and sent to their parents. The SSP, Mr Loknath Angra, said here today that the girls, who had trimmed their hair to conceal their identity, after reaching Bollywood, told the police that they had left home because their parents wanted to marry them off, whereas they wanted to continue their studies. The girls told the police they had gone to Mumbai to look for jobs with the objective of financing their studies. The police officer said
that Mr Bachan Lal of Murgi Mohalla informed the police
that his 16-year-old daughter had left home with a friend
for shopping in the city on May 17. On the basis of
questioning of friends, relatives and neighbours, the
police decided to scout for girls in Mumbai and succeeded
in locating them. |
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BJP, Akali workers to meet in
Ropar CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Mrs Satnam Kaur Sandhu, MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, said today that the BJP and the Akali Dal would hold a joint meeting of workers on May 29 at Gurdwara Bhatha Sahib in Ropar with a view to making preparations for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The meeting will be
addressed, among others, by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr
Parkash Singh Badal; Mrs Sushma Swaraj, a former Union
Telecommunication and Information and Broadcasting
Minister, and a former local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain. |
||
Notification on revised scales PHAGWARA, May 27 — The Punjab government had issued a notification on revised pay scales to non-teaching employees of private aided colleges on a par with government employees. This was stated here today by the district president , Private Colleges Non Teaching Employees Union. The revised scales would be effective with retrospective effect from January 1 1996. A decision on payment of arrears would be taken in the next financial year, he said. hailing the
notification, he said it would benefit 6000 employees in
1760 colleges. |
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Critics of Sonia's origin
'isolated' CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Mr Shamsher Singh Rai, convener of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee's SC and ST Cell, has said that the withdrawal of resignation by Mrs Sonia Gandhi was in the interest of the Congress and the country. Those who were raising the issue with regard to Mrs Gandhi's origin had been isolated and rejected by the Congress. Mr Rai said Mrs Gandhi
had vast political experience as inherited from Indira
Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Under the command of Mrs Sonia
Gandhi the Congress would sweep the coming elections. |
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Tohra-Congress tie-up alleged CHANDIGARH, May 27 —Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, a member of the Political Affairs Committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Punjab Minister for Information and Public Relations, alleged today that the former SGPC Chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, had entered into a secret pact with the Congress. Mr Sekhwan said that when political parties and national and international intelligentsia were opposing Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Mr Tohra remained silent. This was the proof of Mr Tohra's secret tie-up with Mrs Sonia. The minister said Mr
Parkash Singh Badal had maintained the
"maryada" by replacing Bhai Ranjit Singh as
Jathedar of Akal Takht. He alleged that Mr Tohra had
violated the "maryada" many times by using the
Jathedar of Akal Takht to promote his selfish interests. |
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Cong leaders call on Sonia JALANDHAR, May 27 — Punjab Congress leaders led by LCP leader Jagjit Singh, called on the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, yesterday and presented her a siropa and a kirpan. The leaders while
thanking her for withdrawing her resignation welcomed the
expulsion of three rebel leaders, Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr
P.A. Sangma and Tariq Anwar. |
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SGPC rejects Mann group's
request AMRITSAR, May 27 — The SGPC has rejected a request of the Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, the AISSF faction owing allegiance to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and the human rights wing to allot them space at Akal Takht or any other SGPC complex for holding bhog in memory of those killed during Operation Bluestar. Mr Kulwant Singh,
secretary, SGPC said, the request could not be accepted
as the SGPC would also hold functions on June 6 to
observe "ghallughara divas". |
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Army man dies in blast KAPURTHALA, May 27 (PTI) — An Army man was killed on the spot while a local Judicial Clerk was injured when a bomb exploded accidentally in the armoury at the detective staff of Punjab Police here this afternoon, the police said. The injured, Gurdip Singh, was deputed as in charge of the "malkhana" and the services of armour S K Singh were requisitioned to destroy the explosive material lying in the armoury, the police said, adding the deceased while separating the explosive material accidentally extracted the pin of the stick bomb resulting in the blast. The injured has been admitted to the local civil hospital and is stated to be out of danger. District and Sessions Judge Baldev Singh, Deputy Commissioner V K Singh and SSP Iqbal Singh visited the site of blast and also visited the injured in the hospital. The police said the
explosive material was to be taken to the mud area to
destroy it. |
||
Minister defends decision on SYL BATHINDA, May 27 (UNI) — Punjab Minister of State for Irrigation Sikander Singh Malooka today said that the state government would not complete the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal as the state itself was running short of water for irrigation. Addressing a public meeting at a village, 30 km away from here, Mr Malooka said that due to excessive use of tubewells, the water bed level was gradually going down which was why the state had no intention of completing the canal's construction. He said before the
independence, if any water was provided to Rajasthan this
was against payment. States like West Bengal and Assam
even today were getting royalty on coal or oil extracted
in these states, he added. |
||
BSP to field Hans from Phillaur JALANDHAR, May 27 (UNI) — The Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar) has decided to field party General Secretary Vijay Hans from the Phillaur (reserve) Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab. Stating this here today, party President Devi Das Nahar said some more candidates would be fielded in the coming Lok Sabha mid-term poll and their nominations announced by June-end. Mr Hans had unsuccessfully contested the 1996 and 1998 Lok Sabha poll from Phillaur. Mr Nahar said besides
Punjab, the party would also contest some seats in
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh. |
||
Watchman kills manager, himself BATALA, May 27 (PTI) — A watchman of the Markfed branch at Fatehgarh Churian allegedly committed suicide after murdering branch manager Balbir Singh Chandi with sharp-edged weapons in the office yesterday, the police said today. A suicide note recovered from his pocket said he was in depression following pressure mounted by the branch officer who had sent his complaint to the higher officials at Chandigarh, the police said. The watchman attacked
the branch manager with sharp-edged weapons and killed
him on the spot. Soon after the incident, he ended his
life by consuming celphos tables at the office premises. |
||
SAD delegates' session on
June 15 CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal will hold a delegates' session on June 15 at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in Amritsar. Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, Secretary of the SAD, in a statement here today said the all 465 delegates had been requested to attend the session. The session would deliberate on prevailing political situation and organisational matters. Earlier the SAD had decided to call a session in September. But it has been advanced keeping in view the political strategy adopted by the Tohra camp to remove Mr Badal from the presidentship of the party. The Tohra camp has repeatedly been making claims that majority of the delegates of the party are with it and Mr Badal would be removed from the presidentship of the party on May 30 at a convention called in this connection in Ludhiana. The Tohra camp has also laid its claim over the party symbol. It has decided to approach the Chief Election Commissioner in this connection after consulting legal experts. Obviously to counter the
political challenge thrown up by the Tohra camp, the
Badal camp has advanced the delegates' session to repose
faith in the leadership of Mr Badal as president of the
SAD. |
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