Sunday, November 21, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Sunday, November 21, 1999 |
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Move to
bring Badal, Tohra closer |
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DPCC
meetings on Nov 25 Attempt to revive militancy foiled Medical union stir on Nov 29 Free power ‘should
continue’ Water ‘unsafe’ in region Admn forms panel for chowk Govt can't sell land to PUDA: MLA Education cess on coop units 6 held for murder |
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Move to bring Badal, Tohra
closer CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Another move for rapprochement between senior Akali leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who had drifted apart about a year ago due to differences on certain political issues has been initiated. The move has been made by Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, a close confidant of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal. Mr Calcutta has remained secretary of the SGPC for many years when Mr Tohra was president and he was also a minister in Mr Badal’s cabinet. He had resigned from the Cabinet along with other four ministers following differences among Mr Tohra and Mr Badal. Mr Calcutta said here today that there was no clash of interests between Mr Tohra and Mr Badal. There was no fundamental difference in the ideology and political line of the both. They have remained in the Akali party for the past 50 years and used to praise each other at almost all political forums. Only a few political leaders with their vested interests created a rift between them, he said. He said he was ready to meet Mr Badal for presenting his and other MLAs’ viewpoint to make SAD more strong party, Mr Calcutta said there could not be any worthwhile discussion in a collective meeting of the legislative wing of SAD. Mr Badal should hold meetings with MLAs at individual level and "we would be ready to offer our suggestions to Mr Badal", he added. At present there are over 10 MLAs with Mr Tohra, Mr Calcutta said the free and frank opinion expressed by party MLAs and leaders should not be taken as anti-party activity. He said Mr Ravi Inder Singh had committed no wrong. He said the Akali Dal was a party of minority community. The concept of keeping the party and the government under the control one person was thrown up by Mrs Indira Gandhi as it suited her and the Congress. The result of division in the Akali ranks was for all to see in the recently held Lok Sabha election. He said both the Akali Dal and the BJP had benefited from the tie-up. The BJP would rethink its tie-up with the Akali Dal if it was politically marginalised. Moreover, the BJP had not recognised the SAD as a party of minority community. The BJP did not share power with the Akali Dal outside Punjab though there was an impressive number of Sikhs in Haryana, Delhi and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. It is for the first time that such a view had been expressed by Mr Tohra’s staunch follower. Mr Calcutta said that when he was in the Cabinet, he used to tell Mr Badal to give full freedom to ministers to express their views about all sort of matters at Cabinet meetings and other party forums. He said that at present the political affairs committee was a hand-picked body of Mr Badal. Mr Calcutta said the
Congress had made full use of disunity among the Akali
ranks. |
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Defeated candidate moves court CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 —Mr Hans Raj, a resident of Sottrian village in Ferozepore district, today filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court contesting the election of SAD MP, Mr Jora Singh, from the Ferozepore Parliamentary constituency on the ground that the returned candidate adopted corrupt practices. The petitioner, who was fielded by the Congress party, stated that he had secured 2,85,375 votes, while the returned candidate polled 3,00,236 votes. Thus the margin was of 14,861 votes. As many as 6,825 votes were rejected. The petitioner alleged that the Punjab Government in general and the Punjab Chief Minister in particular were all out to win this election. For this purpose they employed all unfair means and posted such officers who could be instrumental in winning the election. The SSP, Mr Gurcharan Singh, was "biased and did not act in a fair and impartial manner". Mr Hans Raj claimed that he had apprehended that large scale rigging and booth capturing would take place. He expressed his apprenhensions to the Chief Election Commissioner and the Government of India in two representations he shot off on August 28. He urged them for deploying paramilitary forces in the constituency. Dr Mohinder Singh Rinwa, a former MLA and his supporter, stated Mr Hans Raj, also wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting him to transfer the SSP of Ferozepore to ensure free and fair election. The General Secretary of the PPCC also shot off a missive to the Chief Election Commissioner for the transfer of the DSP of Fazilka, part of the Ferozepore parliamentary constituency, as he was also openly siding with the SAD candidate. He alleged that the SSP terrorised supporters of his party and certain panches and sarpanches of various villages. He also wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner for the immediate transfer of the SSP vide their letter dated August 28. The petitioner accused the SAD candidate of capturing booths Nos 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18 and 19 of Abohar City and two villages, Panjkosi and Burj Muhar. Mr Hans Raj further alleged that the returned candidate and his supporters stamped ballot papers in favour of the returned candidate "with the active support and help of the police. The booths were cordoned off and nobody was allowed to enter the polling booths". The petitioner stated that Mr Devinder Singh Bubble, Chairman of the Market Committee, Jallalabad, opened fire at Chak Janisar villge and terrorised all voters. Mr Harcharan Singh, a Congress supporter, who dared Mr Bubble was injured and had to be hospitalised. Similar booth capturing took place at Chak Suhelewala village from where Mr Zora Singh hails. The SSP impounded jeeps and cars of the petitioner and his supporters to create obstacles in the free and fair poll under instructions from the returned candidate. Therefore, they were not allowed to exercise their franchise. A fax message was sent to the Chief Election Commissioner. The returned candidate, the petitioner alleged, indulged in bribing voters by giving away bottles of liquor to voters. He was also charged with paying Rs 200 to Rs 500 to voters belonging to weaker sections of the society to cast their votes in his favour. He prayed for recounting
of votes under the supervision of the High Court without
any interference by officials of the Punjab Government. |
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Introduce NSS as subject:
Principals PATIALA, Nov 20 — A conference of principals over the Role and Future of National Service Scheme (NSS) held at Senate Hall Punjabi University here yesterday called for the introduction of NSS as a compulsory activity in educational institutions.The conference was organised by the NSS unit of Punjabi University on the last day of a 10-day-long training and orientation programme for NSS workers. Principals from various colleges of the state took part in the conference. In his key note address Dr H.S. Deol, DPI Colleges, said NSS provided a uniform to the inner self of the man. He said while the NCC taught nation before self the NSS called for service before nation. Lamenting the digression that had overtaken the practice of NSS over the years Dr Deol said most of the educational institutions treated the social service scheme as a liability. He said even NSS programmes were constantly ignored or postponed. On the contrary he said NSS was the only system which followed the traditional Indian method of imparting education in gurukuls. The scheme did not concentrate on the attainment of knowledge only but also strove to make a person relevant to the society. Dr Deol said it had been mooted that if the principals or teachers were given some incentive or NSS was introduced as a subject leading to the creation of vacancies then the service programme would get the much required boost to function properly. But he differed from these opinions as then the voluntary scheme which aimed at the betterment of the society by preparing better citizens would become a drab drill and would be limited to the confines of a syllabus. Mr Gurbachan Singh ‘OSD’ to Bibi Jagir Kaur SGPC president speaking on the occasion said the SGPC was alive to the importance of NSS. The SGPC had decided to launch special programmes called moral and ethical extension programmes in its colleges from this month. These programmes he said would teach moral values and the rule and duty of a citizen towards the society to the students. Calling the NSS as the third dimension of education he said the first two dealt in research and transmission of knowledge and the NSS taught the application of the attained knowledge. Mr G.S. Bhatti Assistant Programme Adviser NSS Centre government said NSS should be made compulsory as it cleansed the inner self of the humans and channelised their energy towards constructive works. Dr Jasbir Singh
Ahluwalia Vice-Chancellor Punjabi University said he
would use his office to recommend to the state government
and the Centre for taking action to the principals’
suggestion. |
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DPCC meetings on Nov 25 CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — The President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, has directed all the presidents of District Congress Committees to call meetings of the party activists in their respective districts on November 25. Mrs Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, General Secretary of the PPCC, in a statement issued here today said that these meetings would be attended by the DCC office-bearers, vice-presidents and general secretaries of the PPCC to mobilise part rank and file for the November 29 Delhi rally. The PPCC President has called a meeting of the party office-bearers and others concerned here on November 24 to discuss the rally issue. Meanwhile, a
three-member committee on police excesses, appointed by
Capt Amarinder Singh, held its first meeting here today.
Mr Ramesh Singla, General Secretary of the PPCC, who
heads the committee said that the committee would meet
party workers at Faridkot on November 25 in the District
Congress Committee office and on November 26 at
Ferozepore to collect facts regarding police excesses. |
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Attempt to revive militancy
foiled JALANDHAR, Nov 20 — The police claims to have come across a new terrorist outfit, the "Komagatamaru Dal of Khalistan", with the arrest of Kuljit Singh, alias Jeet, son of Mr Kewal Singh and recovered 3.3 kg of high quality RDX along with detonators from him. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Gaurav Yadav, said here today that this outfit had been floated by Harmeet Singh Bhakna based in Germany in conjunction with Gurdial Singh, alias Lalli a resident of Kala Khera village of Adampur, and Bhupinder Singh, alias Pehalwan, a resident of Harowal village, Gurdaspur. The two were now in Germany. The outfit had sent Kuljit Singh to India about four months back. He established contacts with Babbar Khalsa activists and local harbourers. He had received a consignment of arms and explosives which was slated to be used to cause a bomb explosion at a public place like a railway station or bus stand. Mr Yadav said last evening a naka was laid on specific information at the drain bridge, Basti Bawa Khel, on the Kapurthala road. Kuljit Singh was intercepted while travelling from Kapurthala to Jalandhar on a scooter by a police party. The SSP said Kuljit Singh, a resident of Lamba Pind, near here, revealed during interrogation that in 1991 he left for Hong Kong from where he went to China, Russia, Turkey, Greece. He finally reached England in 1994. Since he was an illegal immigrant, he was arrested and detained in a Birmingham jail where he came in contact with Harmeet Singh Bhakna through Sewa Singh and Harnek Singh Bhakna motivated him to join the new terrorist outfit, leave for India and spread disaffection against the government. Kuljit Singh came to
India about four months back and established contacts
with Babbars already in India. He collected the
consignment of explosives and was transporting the same
to a destination when he was caught by the police. Letter
heads of "Komagatamaru Dal of Khalistan" were
recovered from his possession. |
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Medical union stir on Nov 29 AMRITSAR, Nov 20 — The state executive meeting of the Punjab and Chandigarh Medical and Sales Representatives Union (PCMSRU) today decided to hold rallies in all cities and towns of the state on November 29 on a call given by the National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO) to oppose the privatisation of the banking system, amendment to the Indian Patents Act, 1970, and Bill to privatise the insurance sector. The executive members condemned the alleged anti-people decisions of the Vajpayee government. It decided to oppose the ‘anti-workers’ steps of the Central Government tooth and nail. They alleged that by privatising the insurance sector and providing 26 per cent shares to multinational companies, the government was virtually destroying the whole insurance sector. By amending the Indian Patents Act on the lines of the WTO, the government wanted to provide a ‘monopoly’ for 20 years to multinationals in the trade of new medicines. This would lead to a shortage and sharp increase in the prices of all medicines, including essential and life-saving drugs. The drug policy was being changed by the Central Government to suit to multinational companies and this would cause sickness and closure of more than 25,000 Indian drug companies, they claimed. The union also expressed
deep sympathy for the people of Orissa who are reeling
under the devastating super cyclone. |
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Free power ‘should
continue’ CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Former Administrative Member of the Punjab State Electricity Board, Mr Surinder Pal Singh Mann in a representation submitted to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has urged that free power supply to the agriculture sector should be continued. Alleging that the industrial lobby and certain engineers in the PSEB were trying hard to make the Punjab Government withdraw the free power concession to the farm sector, Mr Mann said that all subsidies extended to this sector, including free power, were taken into account while fixing the minimum support price (MSP) for farmer’s produce. He said due to this reasons, the MSP was kept low for various grains. He said the so-called subsidies to the agriculture sector were thus passed on to the consumer and the industry but vested interests propagate that benefit had been extended to farmers. Challenging the claims made by the Engineers Association in its presidential address during a recent conference, Mr Mann said that not more than 4500 million units were supplied to the agriculture sector, while consumption in this sector was shown to the tune of 7500 million units. He said that 3000 million units worth Rs 648 crore was in fact pilfered by big ones, but these were credited to the agriculture sector because the supply to the agriculture sector was unmetered almost in the entire state except one or two blocks. He said with little
effort, line losses could be brought down to 12 per cent
and saving worth Rs 324 crore would be made. |
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Water ‘unsafe’ in
region CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — Drinking water supplied in all Punjab and Haryana towns is unfit for human consumption. Pollution levels in all the towns in the entire region are much above the permissible levels. These were some of the observations made by Mr Rajan Kashyap, Principal Secretary, Science,Technology and Environment, Punjab, while inaugurating a one-day seminar on the "Hazardous Waste Management"l , here today. Mr Kashyap said that in Ludhiana nearly 700 tonnes of garbage was generated everyday of which only 450 tonnes was moved to land refills . Nearly 250 tonnes of garbage is added to the city everyday. At Clock Tower in Ludhiana, the pollution levels were 20 times higher than the permissible limits. Talking about laws, Mr Kashyap observed that laws concerning environment and pollution control, in India were either more or at least equally stringent as compared to the European countries. But unfortunately, there was no enforcement of the laws here. One of the reasons for the present state of affairs was the poor financial management. Referring to a recent case, he said that in one of corporations in Punjab, the development charges were fixed at about Rs 15 per square yard while in reality the municipal body had to spend about Rs 300 per square yard to provide the basic amenities. Once the bureaucrats and elected councillors, including Mayors, become liable for prosecution for their failure to provide neat and clean environs, potable and fit drinking water, they would not hesitate to generate resources from public to take care of these problems. At present, the people were not averse to paying taxes ,but were suspicious about the judicious spending by the State or the civic bodies. The Punjab Government, he said, has finalised its new Environment and Pollution Control policy. Besides, by the end of current calendar year, the Department of Environment and Pollution Control would be fully computerised to make the management more responsible and monitor work of subordinate staff at all levels. The problem of pollution and environmental degradation was too big to be left to engineers or technicians alone. Mr Kashyap wanted delegates to deliberate upon various aspects of hazardous waste management. Earlier, Mr Ajay K. Mahajan, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, in his address of welcome, said that the Environment Impact Assessment study for Ludhiana has been completed and a site for hazardous waste has been selected at Mundian village. But the work on this Rs 6 crore hazardous waste treatment has been held up because of a dispute over land between the civic body and the Industries Department. Similar EIV studies were being conducted for six other towns of Punjab-- Amritsar, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Patiala, Sangrur and Ropar. At present, he said,
nearly 700 tonnes of hazardous waste is generated in
Punjab of which nearly 50 per cent is in Ludhiana alone. |
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6 held for murder LUDHIANA, Nov 20 — The police today arrested six persons — Lovelash Kumar Kamal, Gurbachan Lal, Balli, Alla Rakha and Raju — for allegedly murdering Raj Kumar on November 6. According to a press release issued by the SSP, Ms Gurpreet Deo, Raj Kumar was gambling with 10 of his friends on the night of November 5 and had won a lot of money. The same night, all his friends had entered his house and asked him to hand over the cash and jewellery in his possession. When Raj Kumar had declined, both he and his wife, Sarabjit, were hit with lathis and a handpump handle and were also stabbed. The attackers had then fled with the loot Raj Kumar had died on the way to the hospital. In another case, the
police arrested Ram Chander during a naka near Shaheed
Bhagat Singh Nagar under Section 381 of the IPC. |
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Admn forms panel for chowk PATIALA, Nov 20 — The district administration has constituted a committee to look into the traffic problems at the busy Children Memorial Chowk here and suggest a solution to the controversy which has results in blocking the development of the place. Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir said here on Thursday in a press statement that the committee would be headed by Mr K.S. Kung, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, here and would include other officials of the administration and senior citizens. The committee would find a solution to the controversy over possible shifting of a memorial built at the chowk in memory of children of a local school who had died in a boat accident. Mr Bir said the
district-level meeting of the administrative officers
held here on Wednesday also directed the municipal
corporation here to speed up the construction of parking
plots in select areas in the city. The meeting also
directed the Public Works Department and horticulture
officials to plant flowers bearing saplings in the city,
especially near 22 No. phatak and Mall Road to beautify
the city. |
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Govt can't sell land to PUDA:
MLA AMRITSAR, Nov 20 — The BJP MLA, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, today lashed out at the Punjab Government decision to sell land of Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital to PUDA at throwaway prices. In a press note here today, the BJP MLA expressed anguish that the government did not deem it fit to consult local MP, MLAs and councillors on the issue before taking the decision. She pointed out that
prime commercial property of Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital
and Ram Lal Eye Hospital could not be sold and questioned
the authority of the government to do so. |
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Panel set up on
self-employment CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has set up a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to effectively coordinate with various state agencies to provide self employment opportunities to unemployed youth in the state, according to an official press note issued here today. At district
headquarters, committees for this purpose will be set up
under the command of Additional Deputy Commissioner
(Development). A meeting in this connection has been held
under the chairmanship of Mr Badal. |
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Policy on renewal of licences CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — A new policy with regard to renewal of licences will be formulated by the Punjab Government soon, according to Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Punjab Labour Minister. In an official press statement issued here today stated that under the new proposed policy licences of factories would be renewed for a period of three years. A meeting of the factory wing of the Labour Department was held by Mr Tandon in this connection. Dr B.C. Gupta,
Secretary, Labour and Employment, said legal action would
be taken against the factory owners who would not get
their licences renewed within a prescribed period. He
told his officers to issue warning to factory owners
concerned to get their licences renewed in time. |
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Financial autonomy to market panel
chiefs CHANDIGARH, Nov 20 — The Punjab Government has given full financial autonomy to the chairpersons of the market committees in the state. Decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The chairpersons have also been authorised to give administrative approval to works under their jurisdiction. Engineering staff in the Punjab Mandi Board, according to an official press note, has been given technical powers on a part with engineering staff posted in the PWD (B and R). The honorarium of
chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of market committees
have been doubled and chairpersons of committees would be
henceforth associated with the opening of tenders for the
works in their budgetary provision. |
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Education cess on coop units AMRITSAR, Nov 20 — Close on the heels of tax on liquor for education, the Punjab Government has decided to impose 1 per cent tax on the Cooperation Department to raise the standard of education in the state. This was stated by Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura while distributing drafts for Rs 42 lakh to sarpanches of 41 villages in Tarn Taran, Naushehra Pannua, Chohla Sahib and Patti areas. He claimed Punjab was no
longer facing a financial crunch. Sufficient funds were
being released for the overall development of Amritsar
district. He also said the farmers would not face any
problem on account of supply of fertilisers. |
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10 lakh cancer cases each
year LUDHIANA, Nov 20 — There are 10 lakh new patients of cancer every year in India. Out of this nine lakh lose their lives. Dr Robert Twycross, cancer specialist and Director, Oxford International Centre for Palliative Care, Oxford (UK) revealed this here on Thursday. He was here in the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on advisory-cum-training trip in the palliative care unit. Incidence of cancer in
India was the highest in the world, he said. One of the
reasons for high incidence could be the ever increasing
population of the country. A majority of the patients
afflicted by cancer belonged to the age group of above
50. The cancer of the mouth and the throat, which was the
biggest cause of mortality was caused, the expert said. |
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Manch to honour eminent
Punjabis AMRITSAR, Nov 20 — The Vishav Punjabi Sabhyachar Manch (VPSM) would organise a "Maha Punjabi Kumbh" on January 1 next at Dadoowal village in Hoshiarpur district to welcome next millennium where 21 eminent Punjabis would be honoured. Addressing a press
conference here today, Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal,
president, VPSM and founder president the Prof Mohan
Singh Memorial Foundation said that a committee would be
formed to finalise the names of eminent Punjabis who had
made laudable contribution in various fields all over the
world. The village Dadoowal had been selected for the
"Maha Kumbh" as most of the Punjabis who had
gone abroad for green pastures belonged to Doaba region
(Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur). |
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Public exhorted to plant trees ANANDPUR SAHIB, Nov 20 — Punjab Forest Minister Mohan Lal today planted a jamun sapling as part of setting up a ‘sarv sanjha van’ on an area of 10 acres near Charan Ganga Stadium here. In the presence of a large number of youths who are attending an eight-day Khalsa tercentenary national integration camp. Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Mr S.N. Suba Rao, Director, National Youth Project, and Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, Vice-Chairman of the Punjab School Education Board, were also present on the occasion. Prof Manjit Singh
planted a sapling of an ornamental plant, brought from
Kerala by youths in memory of Adi Guru Shankrachariya. Mr
Rao and the Jathedar also planted some more saplings. |
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