Tuesday, November 23, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, November 23, 1999 |
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Badal
orders random checks BJP councillor seeks CBI probe |
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CBI probe
sought into fraud Trucks evading excise seized 3 travel agents booked Case against SI, APP MC privatises garbage removal UCPI to form broader front BJP may get more ministerial posts Punjabi parivar lauds PM's efforts Chhibber calls Guru apostle of
peace Namdhari Chair announced Punjab Govt in a fix over cane
price Retired civic staff seek pension PUDA to maintain MC colonies 5000 invited to conference on
de-addiction Vinod Khanna to give top priority
to bridges Medical teachers to boycott exams Swaran Shatabdi "losing
appeal" |
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Illegal plying of buses CHANDIGARH, Nov 22 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, taking a cognisance of illegal plying of buses has issued directions to the Transport Secretary, Mrs Tejinder Kaur, and State Transport Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, to ensure there was no laxity in the on-going campaign to completely plug any possible revenue leakage in the transport sector. The two officers have been asked to personally organise random inspections in the next few days. In a clear message to field officers, Mr Badal has conveyed that any illegal bus found plying in any officer's jurisdiction, it will be presumed that the officer concerned was guilty of criminal collusion, says an official press release. Mr Badal asked the officers not to brook any political or administrative interference in performing their prescribed duties. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has directed the Deputy Commissioners to launch a special campaign to ensure that social security benefits, like old-age and widow pension, and pension to handicap persons reached the deserving persons. This follows first-hand information and complaints Mr Badal received during his tours. A government release said at a meeting of senior officers, Mr Badal today reiterated that the credit on account of substantial public gains his government has provided for was being negated by adverse publicity generated due to the misdeeds of a small segment of such unscrupulous elements upon whom he will now come down with a heavy hand. A special campaign to check the genuineness of the existing pensioners will be launched soon. The Punjab Government, at present, is providing old age pension to more than 7 lakh beneficiaries. The Chief Minister also
reviewed the backlog of payments. He said that sufficient
budgetary allocation had been made to ensure that the
requisite funds reached the deserving persons on
completion of scrutiny. |
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BJP councillor seeks CBI probe LUDHIANA, Nov 22 (UNI) — BJP councillor Rekha Sharma today demanded a CBI probe into three cases,including the one relating to the alleged attempt to abduct Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, registered against her son, Kamal Sharma, alleging that he had been falsely implicated by the administration in collusion with a group of the local club where the actress gave a performance on the night of October 30. Addressing a press conference here,she alleged that a particular club official and the administration had colluded to falsely implicate her son in the three criminal cases and only a CBI investigation could unravel the truth. She said her son belonged to the rival group of the club official who lodged the complaint in the Mamta case. Mamta Kulkarni in an affidavit submitted to the authorities had already exonerated all suspects of any abduction attempt. Mrs Sharma said the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the arrest of her son in the Mamta Kulkarni case till December 3. She said Kamal
Sharma’s arrest in the Sabhewal case, too, had been
stayed by a local court while his application for
anticipatory bail in the Jamalpur case was listed for
hearing on November 26 in the high court. |
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CBI probe sought into fraud BATHINDA, Nov 22 — Mr Hardev Arshi, Leader of the CPI group, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, today demanded that the inquiry into the Rs 2.5 crore fraud of the Irrigation Department should be handed over to the CBI. In a press note here, he said the second inquiry ordered by the Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal was a move to hush up the scandal. He pointed out that when the first inquiry had indicted certain officials, there was no need for the second inquiry. Instead, Mr Badal should have ordered the registration of a criminal case against the guilty. He claimed that the fraud would reveal the involvement of politicians. The unearthing of the Rs 2.5 crore scam had also proved that corruption was rampant in the state. He said corruption could not be checked unless the state government took effective steps. Mr Arshi said the Punjab government had failed to review the rules regarding eligibility conditions for the pre-medical entrance test. Mr Arshi said he along with Dr Ajit Pal, President, P.C.M.S Association, Bathinda, and Mr Ashok Gupta, President, Medical Entrance Problem Redressal Forum had taken up the matter with the authorities concerned, but in vain. Sources said at present any student who had studied in Punjab for five years or had passed Class X or XII from a recognised institution was eligible to take the PMET. However, in other states, only those students were eligible to take the test who had passed Class XII from that state. Mr Arshi said he had raised the matter in the state assembly after failing to get any response from the Chief Minister to his communication in this regard. He added that replying to a question raised by him in the assembly, the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh had assured that the existing rules would be reviewed. However, nothing had happened in this regard so far. He added that he had again written a letter to the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to look into the matter. Dr Ajit Pal said the Punjab Government had rationalised the admission procedure for the entrance test for engineering colleges, but it had not changed the existing procedure for medical colleges. The PCMS Association and
the Medical Entrance Problem Redressal Forum also urged
the government to make arrangements for conducting the
PMET on the pattern of University of Rajasthan where the
answer- sheet was given in triplicate and one copy was
given to the student concern at the end of the
examination. |
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Trucks evading excise seized PATIALA, Nov 22 — The Patiala police and the Excise and Taxation Department today seized 16 trucks trying to sneak into the state from Haryana without paying excise. In a trap laid early today, 16 loaded trucks, one car and two cabstars were seized and 16 drivers and 10 cleaners rounded up by the joint police-excise team. The sales tax recovery following the seizure is likely to be Rs 60 lakh. Giving details of the operation, district police chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu said the trap was laid following a tip-off that around 60 trucks parked near dhabas at Jakhal in Haryana were planning to sneak into Punjab without paying excise. Following this, a waiting game started between the Excise Department and the truckers. Mr Sidhu said the trap was laid last night. He said this was a difficult task as the truckers had "passers" who did recce of all possible roads on cars and cabstars before guiding the truckers across the border on cellular phones. He said while the tax evaders were able to push nearly 30 trucks across the border in the afternoon yesterday, they met their nemesis early today when trapped near Alisher village on a road which had a drain on one side which made it difficult to turn back. He said though a few trucks tried to turn back, they could not do so. Explaining the modus operandi of the truckers, Additional Commissioner, Excise and Taxation Sarabjit Singh said the tax evaders booked goods under false names for which bogus bills were made. He said they were able to give the slip to excise officials with the help of other members of the gang who did recce of the route of the convoy before giving the go ahead. He said once the trucks approached the Punjab border, they crossed it at speeds often going above 90 km per hour. It was due to this that the trucks were not overloaded. He said in many cases, the truckers kept waiting at dhabas and petrol stations to tire out excise officials. He said there had also been cases of vehicles of excise officials trying to stop the tax evaders being damaged due to which, the help of the Patiala police had been sought. He said the trucks belonged to Patiala Carrier Company. Mr Sarabjit Singh said
as the operation had succeeded due to police help, the
Excise Department had recommended that Inspector Ajay
Kumar who had provided the tip-off should be promoted and
SP Gurdeep Singh Pannu, who led the operation and
Inspector Jaswinder Singh Mangat be rewarded. He said
though sales tax recovery could be around Rs 60 lakh, a
detailed assessment was being done. |
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3 travel agents booked AMRITSAR, Nov 22 — They sold or mortgaged their land for jobs in Bahrain. But on arrival in the promised land, they found neither jobs nor other avenues. What’s more, now they are stranded in the gulf nation unable to return home or go elsewhere as their passports are with ‘travel agents’ who took both their documents and large sums of money to get them ‘handsome salaries’ abroad. But their dupers may not get to enjoy their ill-gotten gains either. The Civil Lines police has booked one Bachan Singh, his wife Karmjit Kaur and son Daljit Singh for taking money from youths against fraudulant promises of getting them jobs abroad. According to Mr Jatinder Jain, SP (city), all the three accused have been booked at the Civil Lines police station under Section 420 and 263/89 of the Indian Penal Code. The case has been registered on the complaints of Mrs Balwinder Kaur, a resident of Verowal village, Mrs Palwinder Singh, of Dera Baba Nanak and Ms Balwinder Kaur, a resident of Rani Ka Bagh, all of them relatives of the stranded youth. It is pertinent to mention here that Mr Jagdish Parshad, second secretary Indian Embassy in Bahrain had written to his Delhi counterpart asking for a high-level probe into the matter. He had given the addresses of around a dozen Punjabi youths duped by Beant Singh, a resident of Bahrain. The high-level probe was ordered last year and the SP deputed as inquiry officer. However, the case was reportedly hushed up. Later Mr Satyapal Dang, veteran CPI leader wrote to district police chief for reopening the case. According to sources, Mr Parmpaul Singh Sidhu, SSP, after taking legal opinion from the district attorney, ordered registration of the case. This is not the isolated case in the Majha region. Recently the Gurdaspur police had booked a father-son duo and husband-wife duo in this connection. Interestingly in almost
all the cases the bogus travel agents lured the youths
with the help of their wives or other women relatives. |
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Case against SI, APP LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — The police has registered a case under Sections 192, 195, 211, 464, 465, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC against a Sub-Inspector of the Punjab police and an Assistant Public Prosecutor. According to a press not issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ms Gurpreet Deo, a case had been registered against Maninder Singh on the complaint of Pritpal Singh under Sections 406 and 420 of the IPC on September 10, 1998. However SI Harbans Singh and APP Vipin Dhir had included charges against Maninder under Sections 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC, while presenting his challan in court and without making any evidence on record on June 24, 1999. Maninder Singh had then filed a complaint against the duo with the police and after investigation a case has been registered against them. The police has also arrested Deepak Kumar in a separate case of robbery and recovered a deck worth Rs 5000 from him, which had been stolen from Sarabjit Singh of Qadian. In another case, the
police has registered an FIR against the proprietors of
Fintex Spinning Mills, Vasta Woolen Mills and Leela
Associates under Section 7 of the Essential commodities
Act. The FIR registered on the complaint of Mr S.C.
Aggarwal, Assistant Director, Ministery of Textiles,
alleges that these firms had not submitted their returns
and violated the act. |
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MC privatises garbage
removal LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — As part of its efforts to clean Ludhiana, the municipal corporation has privatised garbage collection, transportation and dumping in around 30 per cent of the city. The scheme, launched in the zone C and part of zone D of the city early this month covers around 61 localities falling in the two zones. Two private contractors have been given the contract (through tenders) for a period of one year with the municipal corporation paying Rs 40, Rs 45 per metric tonne of garbage collected, depending on the beat. It is learnt that after the trial period of one month, the municipal corporation is planning to float tenders for another 40 per cent of the city. By year end almost 70 per cent of garbage collection in Ludhiana would be in private hands. However, barely a fortnight after its launch, the scheme has hit its first snag with contractors demanding a hike in the prices of waste fixed by the corporation due to the recent hike in diesel prices. The municipal corporation is also giving final shape to another innovative scheme under which it plans to purchase garbage brought to the MC dump at Jainpur by contractors who will be involved not just in garbage collection but also sweeping the area under their purview. Tenders for this scheme are to be floated in the near future. The success of its mohalla sanitation committee scheme, launched by the corporation five months ago, had propelled the MC into intensive privatisation in this sector. Presently around 100 mohalla sanitation committees are operational and more than 30 committees have applied for registration. Around 1950 sweepers are working under the scheme, in which residents of a locality elect three people as office-bearers then approach the corporation for registration. The corporation, after seeing the number of beats (one beat is six square kilometres area) in the locality, sanctions one safai sewak for sweeping, one for lifting garbage and in case of open drains in the locality, one for cleaning these per beat. The residents then appoint sewaks and supervise work. The corporation pays Rs 1200 per month to these workers in addition to Rs 2500 per year for purchase of equipment (broom) and hand carts for garbage collection etc. Interestingly this scheme was launched in various other cities of the state, but proved successful only in Ludhiana. Considering that 800 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city each day, privatisation of the sector is a welcome step. Especially since the MC itself is constrained by lack of resources. Thus it has just 245 garbage containers (of one and a half ton to three ton capacity) 2000 safai sewaks and nine garbage dumps. Although the containers are adequately distributed in all the 16 circles of the city, there are hundreds little of open dumping points for garbage which are not cleared for weeks at a stretch. Because of its resource constraints streets in posh localities like Civil Lines, Sarabha Nagar, Model Town, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar are often littered with garbage. As for localities in the periphery the less said the better. Meanwhile, work on installation of a garbage treatment plant is likely to begin in another two weeks. A contract for this was given to a private firm, Excel India, on a build, operate and own basis some five months ago for making manure from garbage. But the site selected had to be replaced following objections by residents of the vicinity. The municipal corporation is also planning to replace some 100 containers and three ditch machines used for garbage collection to increase its efficiency. The Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Mr S.S. Sandhu says "our aim is to provide a clean city within two months and we are working towards achieving this." It remains to be seen
whether the authorities can actually live up to these
goals. |
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UCPI to form broader front FARIDKOT, Nov 22 — A two-day state-level convention of the United Communist Party of India concluded here today. As many as 270 delegates from different parts of Punjab took part. The convention unanimously decided to form a broader front with like-minded parties to work for the eradication of illiteracy, corruption, unemployment, population control and decentralisation of more powers to zila parishads and village panchayats to build the nation stronger. Stress was laid on holding district-level conventions seminars and meetings with village panchayats to monitor the programme earlier and effectively. A decision was also taken to urge the central government to consider economic base for granting reservation on the basis of caste in the country. The convention expressed concern over the cess of Rs 5 on each bottle of liquor to promote education. Congress MP Jagmit Singh Brar gave the assurance that all these issues would be raised in Parliament. Among prominent representatives of the UCPI who addressed the convention were Mr Sanjeev Dubey, member of the central body, Prof Hargopal Singh and Mr Sarabjit Kumar, members of the Central Political Affairs Committee, and Mr Avtar Singh Brar, local MLA. Three old stalwarts of the party, including Mr Gurnam Singh, Mr Mukhtiar Singh and Mr Naranjan Singh were honoured for their dedicated service to society. A 71-member state
council was announced to strengthen the party at the
grassroots level. |
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BJP may get more ministerial
posts LUDHIANA, Nov 22 — Punjab Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today hinted at a Cabinet expansion in the coming week. Mr Badal was talking to mediapersons during his visit to the city today to preside over a function at the Punjab Agricultural University. He, However, stated that the Cabinet expansion would be done only to fill the seven vacancies in the Cabinet. Five ministers belonging to the Tohra faction — Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta. Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli and Mr Harnek Singh had resigned in December last year. Another minister Mr Sarup Singh died last year while another ministerial berth fell vacant after the appointment of Bibi Jagir Kaur as president of the SGPC earlier this year. In answer to a question about the distribution of these vacant ministerial berths between the Shiromani Akali Dal and its partner, BJP, the Chief Minister said that this would be amicably discussed and decided. The Chief Minister also said that two days ago he had met the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr L K Advani who had asked him to recommend one name from the SAD for the central cabinet. He said he had recommended the candidature of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and also pleaded for the appointment of a Sikh as governor, ambassador and chairman of the minority commission. Answering queries about
the resentment against failure to initiate action against
corrupt ministers named in open darbars, Mr Badal said
the ministers were named deliberately to sabotage his
programme to eradicate corruption by the Congress and
other opposition parties. He claimed that so far he had
not received a single written complaint against any of
his ministerial colleagues and the Lok Pal looked into
such cases. |
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4 mini hydel plants go on
stream LUDHIANA: With the four mini hydel plants on the Abohar Branch Canal successfully starting power generation, it is yet another feather in the cap of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) the state’s nodal agency responsible for the promotion and development of the non-conventional and renewable energy sources. While the mini hydel plant (MHP) at Chupki became operational in the last week of October the other three MHPs at Narangwal, Dalla and Tugal were commissioned earlier this year and have an installed capacity of 1.5 MW, 1 MW and 1.5 MW, respectively. The MHP at Chupki also has an installed capacity of 1.5 MW. These four projects alone are generating 30 million units of electricity annually and selling it to the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) are likely to fetch PEDA a revenue of Rs 8.559 crore annually. PEDA began exploiting the falls on the canal systems in the state for setting up the MHPs. One hundred and thirty falls having ultra low heads ranging from 1.5 to 3 metres have been identified in the state with an estimated potential of 130 MW. Works for setting up four MHPs each on Abohar and Bathinda branch canal had begun in 1994-95. It was for the first that canal falls were exploited for power generation in the country. PEDA had taken the initiative of executing these eight MHPs as technology demonstration projects to encourage and attract private developers. While the four MHPs on the Abohar Branch Canal are now functional, the other projects on the Bathinda Branch Canal are likely to be commissioned by April next year. The MHPs on the Abohar Branch Canal with a capacity of 5.5 MW have been set up at a cost of Rs 29.19 crore and the MHPs on the Bathinda Branch Canal with capacity of 4.3 MW has a project cost of Rs 24.55 crore. The Director, PEDA, Mr S.S. Sekhon, says the state government took up "The hydel projects as they were environment friendly, have short gestation period; require small investment and have minimum transmission and distribution losses. The state Irrigation Department allowed the free use of water from canals and gave its land to PEDA on notional lease, which in turn roped in private developers to install these projects. While the four MHPs on the Abohar Branch Canal have been installed by M/s Triveni Engineers and Industries, the ones on the Bathinda Branch Canal have been installed by M/s Govind Fouress. "After the installation is complete, these developers run the project on their own for a three-month trial period and are also in charge for its maintenance for a period of one year," informs the District Project Officer, PEDA, Mr Anupam Nanda. Each plant has two units for power generation. Explaining the working of these hydel plants, Mr Kubir Singh, System Engineer for Narangwal and Chupki mini hydel projects says, "The nearest grid to the MHP provides electricity through the 11 KV lines to the plant, which is stepped down to 415 Volts with the help of a transformer and this helps in the functioning of the turbines for hydel power generation. This electricity generated is again stepped up to 11 KV and is then transferred to the main grid." It is learnt that PEDA has decided to exploit all the available low head falls for generation of power through private developers on the build, operate and own basis (BOO). According, 50 hydel sites having estimated potential of 43 MW have been allotted to private developers through international competitive bidding. While MoU’s have been signed for 20 hydel sites, the signing of MoU’s for the other 30 sites is on the cards. All these 50 projects are likely to be completed within the next three years. The remaining 68 hydel sites with an estimated potential of 73 MW will be offered to private developers during the Ninth Five Year Plan. The implementation of this scheme is likely to attract private investment of around Rs 650 crore. PEDA would act as a facilitator to the private developers in obtaining statutory clearances from government departments; availing of Central and state subsidies; signing of MoUs with the state Irrigation Department, and the power purchase agreement with the PSEB for sale of power. The Punjab Government
has also presented an investor-friendly approach by
announcing a number of incentives for power generation
from non-conventional energy sources such as sale of
power at Rs 2.25 per unit with 5 per cent hike for 10
years from 1994 onwards; exemption of electricity duties
and excise duty; free use of canal water and other
incentives as applicable to the new industrial units
under category ‘A’ of the New Industrial Policy
of 1996. "This, coupled with the performance of the
other projects that are already operational has created
confidence amongst the private developers to invest in
these projects in the state," says Mr S.S. Sekhon. |
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Namdhari Chair announced AMRITSAR, Nov 22 —Despite the state government’s failure to release money for its four existing four chairs, Chief Minister Punjab Mr Parkash Singh Badal today announced the creation of yet another chair this one Namdhari Guru Ram Singh at a special function organised at Dashmesh auditorium of Guru Nanak Dev University here today. Baba Jagjit Singh, chief of the Namdhari sect presided over the function. To the Chief Minister’s chagrin Dr Harish Puri, head Dr Ambedkar Chair, speaking on the occasion actually pointed out that chairs established in the university had not received any grant for a long time. He expressed the hope that the newly established chair in the name of the Namdhari Guru would not meet the same fate. At this, Mr Badal promptly announced that all the chairs established in the names of religious personalities and Dr Ambedkar won’t face financial problems in future. "We will release sufficient grants so that research work on these revered personalities is not hit for want of funds", he said. On Baba Ram Singh Mr Badal said he was a great revolutionary who launched a massive movement against British imperialism and started the non-cooperation movement against the British. They formed a parallel organisation. To defy the British Empire and Namdharis laid down their lives for the Independence struggle. The Chief Minister lamented that no government so far had recognised the sacrifices of Punjabis adding that martyrs were not associated with any sect or region. Namdhari chief Baba Jagjit Singh, who presided over the function, said while there was turmoil everywhere peace could be achieved through nam and simran. He thanked Dr Soch for his sincere efforts for the of establishment of this chair. LUDHIANA: Mr Badal expressed anger over the indifference successive governments towards farmers of Punjab. He was presiding over the inaugural function of the 12-day training programme on "Intensive growth of vegetables" organised jointly by Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, Punjab Agricultural University and Horticulture Department, from November 22 to December 3 here. The Chief Minister, while calling for autonomy to states, lamented that the Department of Agriculture was under the purview of the state only in name as the prices of diesel, fertilisers, support prices for agricultural produce and even the prices of machinery were all dependent on central government policy. He called for utilisation of money collected in the state through excise, income tax, revenue earned through railways and postal departments in the state itself. He asked extension
officers of the Agriculture Department and PAU to work to
help move away from the wheat-paddy cycle to combat
stagnation in agriculture. |
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Punjab Govt in a fix over cane
price CHANDIGARH, Nov 22 — The issue of sugarcane price is bugging the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. His friend and Haryana counterpart, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has queered the pitch for him by jacking the cane price up from Rs 95 to Rs 110 per quintal, which is the highest in the country. While crushing of cane has already started in Punjab, the state government is sitting on the proposal with regard to the increase in the price of cane. Informed sources in the Punjab Government said that a proposal had been mooted to enhance the cane price to Rs 101 per quintal from the existing Rs 95 which was fixed last year. What has put the government in a fix is opposition by private sugar millers and the Punjab State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills of the increase in the price. Private sugar millers have been lobbying for the past several weeks against the hike in cane price. Informed sources said private sugar millers had met Mr Badal on November 11 to plead the case against the hike in sugarcane price. They told the Chief Minister that sugar industry in the state was in dire straits due to various reasons, including unviable price of sugarcane for millers. At the meeting with the Chief Minister, they said that their accumulated loss was Rs 200 crore. With further increase in the price, the loss would go up. There are seven private sugar mills in the state and they crush 40 per cent of the total cane available for crushing in the state. Likewise, according to informed sources, the State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills, which is popularly called Sugarfed, has informed the Punjab Government that with an increase of Re 1 in the sugarcane price, the mills would suffer a loss of Rs 3.5 crore in cooperative sector. At Rs 95 per quintal, the sugar mills in cooperative sector suffered a loss of Rs 50 crore and their accumulated loss was to the tune of Rs 118 crore. There are 15 sugar mills in cooperative sector. One at Budhlada is under liquidation. Sources said keeping in the view the interest of sugar industry, which has already collapsed to a large extent, the price of the cane should not hiked. Even officials of the Punjab Government also concede the point that there should not be increase in the price of cane if the Punjab Government wanted to "save" sugar industry in the state. As much as 87 lakh tonnes cane would be available for crushing during this season likely to continue till April. Out of this 52 lakh tonnes would be crushed while the rest would be kept for seed and diverted to make "gur" etc. About 1.45 lakh hectares were under sugarcane crop this year. The daily crushing capacity of mills in the state is around 46766 tonnes per day. Sugar mills located at Gurdaspur, Bhogpur, Dasuya, Faridkot, Nawanshahr, Amloh, Mukerian, Butter Sevian, Morinda, Batala and Fazilka have already started cane-crushing operation. The rest are expected to start by December 1. Mr Badal will be under
tremendous pressure to enhance the cane price from the
farming community. In fact, Punjab has always remained a
leader state as far as fixing of cane price is concerned
in this region. Other states, including Haryana, used to
follow suit. But as Vidhan Sabha elections in Haryana are
expected any time, Mr Chautala wasted no time to announce
the hike in cane price. Naturally, Punjab farmers would
urge Mr Badal to at least give them a price at par with
Haryana |
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Retired civic staff seek pension JALANDHAR, Nov 22 — The Punjab Municipal Employees who retired before April 1,1990 and numbering about 145 at present, have been denied pensionary benefits despite a written agreement of December 20,1989 between the Punjab government and the Punjab Municipal Employees Action Committee after a state-wide agitation. The employees who retired after April 1,1990 are being granted pensions. The All-India Central Government Pensioners Association (north zone), which is a member of the newly constituted National Council for Older Persons, Government of India, has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister to secure justice for these 145 old Punjab Municipal employees. According to Mr V S
Jolly, general secretary, All-India Central Government
Pensioners Association, (north region) these retired
employees are ready to deposit their CPF with interest.
Moreover they are to be paid pension from the Pension
Fund and there is to be no burden on the finances of the
Punjab state government or the Municipal authorities
concerned. He said that the case of these affected
employees got support of more than 24 Punjab Ministers,
Speaker, Deputy Speaker of Punjab and a number of Punjab
MLAs. |
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PUDA to maintain MC colonies BATHINDA, Nov 22 — The Punjab Government is contemplating to amendments in certain rules to bring maintenance of colonies under PUDA. An indication to this effect was given here last evening by Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal while addressing a meeting of district officers. The Punjab Government is also planning to earmark 10 per cent of PUDA funds for maintenance purpose. According to a press note issued here by Public Relations Department, the Punjab Government is also considering amendments in PUDA rules to ensure provisions of basic amenities in PUDA colonies. Presently, PUDA colonies, after completion, are over to the municipal councils for maintenance causing delays in the provision of basic amenities. By carrying out necessary amendments, PUDA will be able to beautify colonies plant trees and ensure cleanliness. Mr Badal, while addressing a meeting of officers, got deputation of doctors from village dispensaries to the town hospitals cancelled. He also ordered existing vacancies of doctors in all dispensaries located at focal points to be filled on priority basis. He said deputy
commissioners would prepare the list of temporary
purchase centres for procurement of rabi and kharif crops
so that permanent platforms could be constructed in such
centres. |
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5000 invited to conference on
deaddiction ROPAR, Nov 22 — Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, has sent 5000 letters to heads of voluntary organisations, religious and social organisations, high and senior secondary schools, and colleges inviting them to participate in a three-day Deaddiction Conference to be held from December 17 to December 19 at Anandpur Sahib. Prof Manjit Singh said he had invited top religious personalities of different religions to this conference to wage a war against drugs in the country. He said Swami Agnivesh; Dr L.M. Singhvi, of Jain religion; Dr A.K. Merchant of Bahai sect; Father Panto of Christian religion and Dr Naqvi, a Muslim religious leader, besides SGPC members, preachers, Red Cross officials, De-addiction Centres and hospital authorities were also expected to participate in the conference. The Jathedar said that people were enthusiastic as he had received acceptance letters from heads of various organisations and individuals on their participation in the conference. He said the conference would be significant in finding means to create a drug-free society. Prof Manjit Singh said
it was the need of the hour to make society free from
drugs if future generations were to live in peace. |
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Punjabi parivar lauds PM's
efforts CHANDIGARH, Nov 22 — Aalmi Punjabi Parivar, a non-political organisation committed to fostering Indo-Pakistan friendship, has hailed the bold utterances by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral in favour of an early restoration of democracy in Pakistan. In a statement issued
here today after a meeting, the parivar president and
former Punjab minister Harnek Singh Gharuan said that by
expressing themselves for a democratic set up in Pakistan
both Mr Vajpayee and Mr Gujral had articulated India's
earnest efforts to ease tension and to restore an
atmosphere of peace and goodwill between the two
countries. In this context, the Parivar also lauded the
CHOGM stand on Pakistan. |
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Chhibber calls Guru apostle of
peace CHANDIGARH, Nov 22 — The Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen BKN Chhibber retd and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the people to spread the message of universal brotherhood and inter-religious harmony as propagated by Guru Nanak Dev. Felicitating the people
on the eve of the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev, they said
that the Guru was an apostle of peace who epitomised
universal brotherhood and love towards humanity. His
message to follow the path of truth, equality and
kindness was of particular reference today when the
social fabric was under strain. |
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Vinod Khanna to give top
priority GURDASPUR, Nov 22 — Mr Vinod Khanna, MP, said here today that he would give top priority to arranging funds for the construction of bridges over the Ravi near Kathlor and the Beas near Nussehra Fori in the district at a cost of about Rs 100 crore. Talking to reporters, Mr Khanna said he was already in contact with the Punjab Government, the World Bank and the Ministry of Finance to raise funds. Private construction companies were being contacted to undertake the job of construction of bridges on a BOT basis. Mr Khanna said the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency was backward and land holdings were small and marginal. With further fragmentation of land due to increasing population, unemployment in the area had risen manifold in recent years. He said, he had approached big industrial houses to set up units in the area, but they were reluctant to do so in view of its proximity to the Pakistan border. Mr Khanna said the local
industrialists who were keen on setting up units in the
district were not doing so because of cheep power tariff
in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. He said he
would use his influence with the Punjab and central
governments to give an economic package to the border
district. |
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Delhi Sikh jatha leaves for
Pak AMRITSAR, Nov 22 — While the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has categorically refused to send its jatha of 3000 Sikh devotees to Pakistan Gurdwaras for with Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary which falls tomorrow, as many as 144 Sikh devotees from Delhi left for Pakistan today. This is the third time this year that the SGPC has not sent jathas to Pakistan to protest against the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PGPC) headed by a former ISI chief. Bibi Jagir Kaur SGPC
chief, has announced that it wont send any jathas to
Pakistan until it’s disbands the PGPC. |
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Delay in sugarcane price
flayed PATIALA, Nov 22 — Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary SHSAD and former Member Parliament today said farmers of the state were suffering financial losses by selling sugarcane in Haryana in the absence of announcement of the sugarcane support price by the Punjab Government. Mr Chandumajra said it is unfortunate that while the centre and other states had already announced the minimum price the SAD-BJP government was sleeping over the matter. Mr Chandumajra also
criticised the recent arrests of farmers who were unable
to pay their debts to cooperative banks. |
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Medical teachers to boycott
exams PATIALA, Nov 22 —The Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association has decided to boycott all examination work from December 1 onwards in protest against the non-payment or arrears of their revised pay scales. The boycott call would affect MBBS-final-professional and post-graduate examinations. In a press statement Dr Ravinder Singh, secretary of the local unit of the association, said the medical fraternity was resentful of the ‘apathetic’ and ‘indifferent attitude’ of the government and ‘red-tapism’ on medical teachers’ pay scales. He said pay scales were revised in May this year but while most of other employees had received arrears medical teachers had not. In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the association said the government’s attitude had caused a lot of heart burn and many of them had sought premature retirement. Former MLA and senior
CPI leader Satyapal Dang has also written to Mr Badal in
this context. |
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DAV College tops in youth
fest PHAGWARA, Nov 22 — DAV College, Jalandhar, emerged over all winner in the three-day inter-College, Jalandhar, GNDU zonal youth festival (men) which concluded at the local Guru Nanak College today. The host, Guru Nanak College, won trophy in "B" division of the zonal youth festival. Mr Baljit Singh Sekhon, Director, Youth Welfare Department of the university, while declaring the results, disclosed that DRV DAV College, Phillaur were over all runners-up while Doaba College, Jalandhar, secured the third position. Mr Bharat Talwar of DAV College, Jalandhar, was adjudged the best actor in the festival. Gurbinder Singh of A.S. Shergill Memorial College, Mukandpur, was adjudged second test actor. Punjab Social Welfare
Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur distributed prizes. |
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‘Satguru’ may land Badal in
trouble AMRITSAR, Nov 22 —
Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal today caused a
flutter when he used the word "Satguru" while
announcing establishment of "Namdhari Guru Ram
Singh" chair in the Guru Nanak Dev University. This
could spark another controversy as in Sikhism there is no
living guru. The last guru is ‘Guru Granth
Sahib’ (the holy Sikh scripture). Many Sikh scholars
present at Dashmesh Auditorium when Mr Badal addressed
Namdhari Guru Ram Singh as "Satguru", strongly
objection to use of the word. |
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"Suicide" by teenaged girl FAZILKA, Nov 22 — A teenaged girl student died in mysterious circumstances in the canal colony area here. According to residents of the locality Rimpy (14), a student of IX class of D.C. Model School, here allegedly died of burns in her house on Friday evening. Neither family members of girl nor any resident of colony informed the police or got her admitted in hospital. Neighbours of the
deceased quoting family sources said that the girl
allegedly had committed suicide by setting herself on
fire. The police sources feigned ignorance of the
incident. |
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Punjabi varsity to hold youth
fest ROPAR, Nov 22 — Dedicated to the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations a three-day Punjabi University inter-college youth festival for Ropar zone will be held from December 3 to 5 at Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College at Anandpur Sahib. According to Mr Chanan Singh, Principal of Khalsa College, 15 colleges of Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala districts will take part in the youth festival. Mr Tota Singh, Punjab Education Minister, will inaugurate it. The students will take
part in about 20 items like gidha, bhangra, war singing,
folk song and debate. |
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Villagers send relief to
cyclone-hit KAPURTHALA, Nov 22 — Residents of Bhandal Bet village near here yesterday sent truck load of relief materials including rice, pulses, clothes, wheat and other essentials for cyclone affected people of the Orissa. Meanwhile Mr Jiwan Singh
Bhandal, member of the SGPC, Mr Sucha Singh and Mr Mohan
Singh presented a draft of Rs 12,760 to Mr Raghbir Singh,
Transport Minister, Punjab, for the help of victims of
cyclone in Orissa. |
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Swaran Shatabdi "losing
appeal" LUDHIANA, Nov 22 —Launched with fanfare, the Swaran Shatabdi has come in for criticism from passengers due to its always late arrival and stopping at platforms other than specified for it. All visitors, including the foreign guests, who visit Ludhiana had stopped coming by air and started using Shatabdi Express, finding it comfortable and convenient. But now apathy of Railway authorities and their indifferent attitude towards the comfort of Shatabdi passengers has left people wondering. Earlier, morning as well
as evening Swaran Shatabdi used to stop at platform no 1.
But these days the evening Shatabdi stops at platform no
3 making it inconvenient for the passengers. Whereas
platform no 1 is not only convenient in location, the
ambience is also better and it suits the profile of
foreign guests. Many elderly people and those seeking
medical assistance by going to Delhi prefer Shatabdi due
to its prefixed position on platform no 1. Off late, due
to this uncertainty they have to face hardship and
difficulty. |
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Labourers’ dues not paid FAZILKA, Nov 22 — Labourers' Societies and contractors of the Irrigation Department here have not been paid Rs 30 lakh due to them in the past three years. This is despite bills worth Rs 10 lakh have been passed by officers concerned for payment. Payment orders were passed more than an year ago. Contractors and labourers are facing financial crisis. The labourers and
contractors now have decided that if they were not paid
dues in the coming days they would launch an agitation
against the Punjab government and higher officers. |
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