Tuesday, October 5, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, October 5, 1999 |
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Tohra resorting to
gimmickry: SAD CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — Challenging the allegations and the statement made by former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, after submitting a memorandum to the Punjab Governor against the state government headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal Secretary-General, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and the Senior Vice-President, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal. Tussle in coalition over fiscal crisis CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The fiscal crisis in Punjab is spilling over into a tussle between the two coalition partners. |
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Order to
pay 1 lakh for illegal detention
Demolitions were motivated: AFDR Aggrieved father writes to CM
Hardcore militant surrenders 4 new offices to check animal
trade
Panels to redress farmers'
grievances set up Insurance staff flay Sinha’s
remarks
Case registered against cops Woman set afire, residents block
traffic Workers burn CM's effigy Steps to "legalise"
quackery resented Allegations baseless, says Mayor |
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Tohra resorting to gimmickry:
SAD CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — Challenging the allegations and the statement made by former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, after submitting a memorandum to the Punjab Governor against the state government headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal Secretary-General, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and the Senior Vice-President, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, said today that it was a political gimmickry of Mr Tohra arising out of his increasing political frustration. Mr Tohra, along with his supporters, had submitted a memorandum to the Punjab Governor on October 2. He had later held a press conference making serious allegations against the Punjab Government. Mr Dhindsa and Mr Badal said the statement, issued under the signature of the SAD Secretary, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, showed that Mr Tohra had failed to recollect that the decision to dispose of the redundant infrastructure to generate useful resources in public interest and save these properties from unauthorised encroachments was taken at a meeting of the Punjab Council of Ministers on March 3, 1998. The SAD leaders were replying to Mr Tohra's allegation that the SAD-BJP government was indulging in a scandal of selling government property. Mr Dhindsa and Mr Badal further pointed out that the allegation of having sold 3 acres of land for Rs 60,000 per acre to the son of a minister was patently false because the said land was sold at more than Rs 3 lakh per acre as per the price duly assessed by a committee. The land was not sold to a minister's son as alleged by Mr Tohra. Regarding the allotment of land at Ludhiana at a low price, they said the land had been allotted to certain institutions like Bharat Vikas Parishad for making artificial limbs, All-India Sant Samaj and Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle at a reserve price as per the provisions of the Punjab Town Improvement (Utilisation of Land Allotment of Plots) Rules, 1983. With regard to Mr Tohra's statement that the entire money from the centrally - aided Natural Calamity Relief Fund had been diverted to the Faridkot Constituency, the SAD leaders said the fund was distributed to flood and water-logging affected farmers in all districts. Mr Dhindsa and Mr Badal also justified the loan of Rs 20 crore given by Markfed to the Punjab Government saying the state government had invested in the equity of cooperative institutions and also underwrote losses of such institutions. It was also incorrect that the SAD government was not paying salaries, pensions and gratuities to its employees, they added. Regarding the provision
of special security to the Chief Minister, both leaders
said Mr Tohra had never raised a hue and cry when almost
an identical security and other arrangements were
provided to earlier Chief Ministers. |
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Tussle in coalition over fiscal
crisis CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The fiscal crisis in Punjab is spilling over into a tussle between the two coalition partners. The Akali ministers’ contention is that the trader is not paying the sales tax and he has the backing of certain BJP leaders resulting in the shortfall in recovery. The BJP ministers contend that the government's decision to provide free power and water to the farmers is the reason as it set the tempo for freebies. Two days back when the Cabinet subcommittee on fiscal resources met under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the two sides came heavily on each other. BJP ministers, Mr Balramji Das Tandon and Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, contended that even free power had not been of much help politically. "Farmers now want assured power supply. They are ready to pay." The Akalis ministers, Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Mr Tota Singh, however, felt that sales tax collection was tardy since some political elements were putting impediments in its way. But finally both sides veered round to the idea that populist measures would not be of much help and the government must sit back and coolly think of ways and means. "We shall overcome the differences if any and find ways and means to meet the present challenge" was the only comment of two ministers, Capt Kanwaljit Singh holding charge of finance and Mr Mittal holding charge of Food and Supply. The next meeting which will have detailed notes from all the revenue earning departments will take some hard decisions. Politically the two parties represent two different political interests. Akalis largely speak for the farming and rural community while the BJP swears more by the urbanites, the traders and hence the differences, one senior minister explained. But since they share power, they have to sink these differences and remain united, particularly when the threat from the political rivals, the Congress and the Tohra Akalis is so well pronounced. Meanwhile, Punjab continues to suffer from the shortage of funds. The government is trying to borrow from each board and corporation to meet the tedious ways and means situation. What is staring the government in the eye is that all this is not helping except temporarily. Punjab should have collected easily Rs 2,500 crore from the sales tax as decided last year. But this target was scaled down to Rs 2,000 crore. Even this has come down to Rs 1,700 crore. Now the chances are a further fallout." We are no free agents to collect taxes. One could not raid the traders and other evaders in any town or city. Orders come from outsiders and hence demoralisation and poor collection", one senior officer lamented. Interestingly, income tax collection from Punjab has increased by 24 per cent. There is a good increase in the collection of excise and customs duty also. Industrial and trade turnover is over Rs 50,000 crore and 80,000 crore annually and the rate of sales tax varies from two to 12 per cent. So the state could be just in a happy position, most experts feel. Last year the deficit
was Rs 1,162.40 crore and right now it has crossed Rs
1,500 crore. If the present tardy tax collection and
spending spree continued, it may end up a whopping Rs
1,800 crore. The Budget has estimated the expenditure at
Rs 16,277 crore and the annual plan at Rs 2,680 crore.
But then most of the proposals voted by the assembly to
raise resources have remained on paper. There had been
some saving through economy measures. The state had
promised to raise on its own Rs 1,611 crore to fund the
plan. The tax revenue for 1999-2000 was estimated at Rs
4,635 crore and non tax revenue at Rs 2,144 crore.
Central assistance was counted at Rs 504 crore. The
transport and the revenue departments were to provide Rs
565 crore respectively. Rs 165 crore was to be raised by
way of enhancement of taxes. Rs 400 crore from the sale
of government land. Sadly not many things have happened
while the first half of the financial year is over. |
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Fake poll observer notorious
con man GIDDERBAHA (Muktsar), Oct 4 — The case of Ved Parkash Behl, who was arrested by the local police for impersonating as a poll observer on September 28, took a new turn when his MBBS degree was also found to be fictitious during investigation. Police sources said Behl, who had claimed to have passed MBBS from a college in Bihar, was only a matriculate and his degree was fake. Earlier, he had cheated people at the Guru Har Sahai, Jalalabad, Bhikhi and Kurukshetra areas on the basis of his fake degree. Mr Kultar Singh, SSP, said Behl had opened up an ultrasound centre, “Chand Ultrasound Centre”, in the town while he posed as an election observer for the Faridkot parliamentary constituency during the recent Lok Sabha poll. The ultrasound centre was inaugurated by the Chief Medical Officer of the civil hospital Muktsar. Mr Ashok Baath, DSP, said the police was investigating the involvement of Behl in the fake degrees racket. He added that one of the identity cards of Behl was also found to be fake. Behl was arrested after being accorded ‘VVIP’ treatment for over a month, on September 28 following a quarrel between him and some police officers over the demand for an escort vehicle. During interrogation, Behl first identified himself as a “personal physician” of the former Prime Minister, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, and then as a friend of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He was booked under sections 419,420,465, 467 and 468 of the IPC. Behl had been cheating people since 1974. A.32 bore revolver with licence was also recovered from him. Mr Baath said before coming to the town as election observer, Behl had rung up the local police station from his house in Jalalabad and told the “munshi” that he was speaking from the Chief Minister’s house in Chandigarh. Behl was accorded VIP treatment when he arrived at the local police station and was even provided with some guards. He fell into the police net when an investigation by Mr Baath revealed that no such election observer had been appointed. Dr S.I.S. Sandhu, CMO,
when contacted said he had inaugurated the ultrasound
centre of Dr Ved Parkash Behl in the presence of other
doctors thinking he was a genuine doctor. |
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Order to pay 1 lakh for
illegal detention CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Government to pay compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Mr Amrik Singh, a resident of Samrala in Ludhiana district, for keeping him in illegal detention. A Full Bench of the High Court consisting of the Mr Justice R.S. Mongia, Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar, who handed down this order, ruled: "Considering all the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the view that the petitioner is entitled to be compensated on account of illegal detention. We are further of the view that the ends of justice would be met if the petitioner is compensated by the state government by paying compensation of Rs 1 lakh". The Judges further held that there might not be any wilful disobedience of the High Court orders, the functionaries of the state were certainly remiss and negligent in not going through the order by which notice of recovery against the petitioner had been quashed. The government had
served a notice of recovery on the petitioner. He had
questioned the notice before the court. The High Court
had quashed the recovery notice. Notwithstanding quashing
of the recovery order, the petitioner was arrested by the
government functionaries. |
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Demolitions were motivated: AFDR FARIDKOT, Oct 4 — The houses of 40 residents of Jeewan Nagar locality in the town were razed to the ground by the municipal authorities with the support of the district administration and police on September 17 and 18, allegedly on political considerations without issuing prior notice to the victims. The Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Faridkot unit, in its report, based on the findings of a five-member committee, released to the Press here today, alleged that the municipal authorities and district administration acted promptly on an application of a teacher and razed the 40 houses to the ground. The report further alleged that the district administration remained a mute spectator to the construction of houses by Dalits on government land during elections, probably on the directions of the ruling party, but swung into action immediately after the poll and pulled down the permanent structures with the help of tractor-trailers. The authorities concerned even ignored the legal right of possession of the victims and certain houses which had been legally allotted electric connections were also demolished, it claimed. It further claimed that about 175 persons, including 50 children, had been affected by this action and the total loss of property was about Rs 15 lakh. The AFDR demanded that
the 175 persons who had been uprooted after the
demolition should be compensated and rehabilitated and
legal action should be initiated against those persons
who were behind the demolitions. |
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Number of dengue cases rises to
112 LUDHIANA, Oct 4 — First dengue death in the city was reported today with 22-year-old Ram Bhajan succumbing to illness at the Christian Medical College and Hospital here last night. Civil Surgeon, Dr Rajinder Kaur, however, denied that there had been a casualty because of dengue and said that Ram Bhajan died as a result of falciparum fever. However, the hospital records show the cause of death of Ram Bhajan as dengue. Meanwhile, as many as 15 fresh cases of dengue have been reported from various hospitals in the past 24 hours. Thus taking the total number of cases, so far, confirmed as well as suspected to 112. Of the 15 fresh cases, seven suspected cases have been admitted to Bhagwan Ram Charitable Hospital. Three in CMC, three in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and two in DMC. Till date, DMC has received 48 dengue cases. BRCH received 31, CMC 26 and four in GTBH. But the figures available from the Civil Surgeon’s office show that there have been only 77 cases in the city so far. Of these 49 cases are confirmed and 28 are suspected dengue cases. According to a senior
consultant doctor of a private hospital, who did not wish
to go on record, the number of cases reported by the
Civil Surgeon’s office was less as they did not
include the patients whose platelet count had not fallen
below 1 lakh nor did they include those cases, where the
addressees of the patients were not known, he added. |
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Hardcore militant surrenders HOSHIARPUR, Oct 4 — The state government and the Punjab police policy to bring misguided youths in to the mainstream inspired a hardcore militant to surrender himself before the police and start a new life. Mr R.P. Mittal, SSP, said in a press note here last evening that a hardcore militant, Gurpreet Singh, alias Happy, of Dadiala village had surrendered before the police. Gurpreet Singh was associated with the KCF (Punjwar) and was wanted by the police in three different cases. He was involved in cases of looting and for firing at the police in 1988, for which cases were registered against him at the Hariana and Bhogpur police stations. He was arrested and sent to jail where he met other KCF militants — Surinderjit Singh Malewal, Iqbal Singh, alias Bagha, Vajaypal Singh of Rupowal and Surinder Singh, alias Chhinda of Khuda. All these militants had already been killed in various police encounters. The SSP said that Gurpreet Singh had a few months ago read in newspapers about militant Harpal Singh, alias Happy, also from the KCF , who had surrendered before the police and was arrested only in those cases in which he was involved. This example inspired Gurpreet Singh to surrender. Gurpreet Singh appealed
to all misguided youths, who were wanted by the police in
different militancy-related cases, to surrender for a
better future. |
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Markfed justifies 20 cr loan CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — Admitting that a loan of Rs 20 crore had been given to the Punjab Government, the Punjab Markfed authorities in a statement said such a loan could be released to the state government as per bye-laws of Markfed because the state government was a member of Markfed. An official spokesman of Markfed said the loan had been released on such terms and conditions which fully safe guarded the financial interests of Markfed. If the loan was to be raised from banks or other financial institutions, it invariably had to mortgage stocks or immovable property for obtaining loan. So the present loan raised from the Punjab State Co-operative Bank by mortgaging the property is a normal way of raising funds. The spokesman denied
that the board of directors at its meeting held on
September 30 had rejected the proposal of giving the loan
to the state government. The decision was only deferred
as members of the board had asked for more time to study
the agenda of the meeting pertaining to the loan. |
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Aggrieved father writes to CM MOGA, Oct 4 —Mr Gurjant Singh a resident of Tapa village in Bathinda district, has written to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the DGP, Punjab, Mr Sarbjit Singh and asked them to look into the death of his daughter under mysterious circumstances. His daughter, Virpaul Kaur has been married in Dhaipai and had died due to poisoning. The father of the deceased was intimated by her in-laws about her death after she had consumed a poisonous substance. Gurjant Singh alleged
that his daughter was murdered by her in-laws for want of
sufficient dowry. Her body was cremated by her in-laws
before he reached there. Suspecting foul play in her
death the father of the deceased had sought the Chief
Minister’s intervention. |
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4 new offices to check
animal trade ROPAR, Oct 4 — The Animal Welfare Board (AWB) of India has decided to open offices at Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Baroda to check illegal transportation of animals in the country. These offices will be run by non-government organisations (NGOs) under the supervision of the board. This was announced by Mr Jasbir Ralhan, an Executive Member of the AWB, after presiding over a function organised in connection with World Animal Day by the Ropar District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) here today. Mr Ralhan further said the proposal to open these offices had been passed by the AWB and the Union Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment had approved it. He expressed the hope that these offices would start functioning in three months. He also announced that to check illegal transportation of animals, several lakhs would be spent by the AWB in the northern region only. The Government of India had banned the demonstration of animal skills in circus show in the country. After the ban, animals from different circus groups were being shifted to the zoos. The government had also asked the AWB to get the ban implemented in letter and spirit, he added. There were only 300 registered institutions affiliated with the AWB a year ago but the number AWB had now risen to 900. These included SPCAs, gaushalas and People for Animals, etc. Earlier, addressing the function, Mr Ralhan asked the local SPCA to arrange land for the construction of a gaushala so that AWB could give a grant to it for the setting up a gaushala to the tune of Rs 10 lakh. The grant would be released in instalments. He also offered a grant of Rs 1 lakh if the local SPCA set up a cow dung plant for the generation of electricity and to produce manure. The grant would be given by the AWB. He also promised a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the purchase of a mobile van for the SPCA. Among those who
addressed the function were Mr Chetan Aggarwal, President
of the local SPCA; Dr R.S. Parmar, an Adviser to the
SPCA; Mr S.S. Uppal, DSP (H), and Mr Mohinder Jain, a
social worker. |
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Panels to redress farmers'
grievances set up PATIALA, Oct 4 — Dispute settlement committees have been formed in various grain markets of the state to attend to and redress grievances of farmers regarding paddy procurement on the spot. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Punjab Madan Mohan Mittal said here today the committees would take-up complaints of farmers, specially those relating to their produce not meeting the required specifications to be eligible for procurement. Mr Mittal said the committees would comprise of representatives of arhatias, farmers, kisan organisations. Besides those of procurement agencies. He said the committees had been formed to bring about transparency in the procurement process and making the various agencies answerable to people. He said procurement was going on in a smooth manner and had started early on the request of the Punjab government. He said procurement during this season was likely to touch a new high of one crore metric tonnes in comparison to 93 lakh metric tonnes procured last year. The minister said various state agencies had added more storage space to accommodate the increased stock of foodgrain likely to be procured this year with private traders purchasing less paddy than last year. He said a new scheme under which powers had been decentralised to Deputy Commissioners had been very successful. He said Deputy Commissioners had been given a free hand to allot various mandis to procurement agencies according to the latter's convenience to save carriage expenses. Mr Mittal said even the scheme launched this year under which farmers had been asked to sow paddy only by June 15 had given a good response. He said however paddy was still being sown early in some areas of the state like Amritsar and Ferozepore where farmers were going in for a third crop. He said steps taken against combine owners forbidding them to operate during the night had yielded results. He said more steps would be taken during next year to encourage farmers to sow better quality paddy and do away with varieties like PR 103 and 108. The minister said by
next year the government would try to get the mandi board
to make more mandis pucca. He said around 400 purchase
centres still remained kutcha in the state. He said,
however, the government had been successful to a large
extent in getting commission agents to instal fans for
proper cleaning of paddy. He said agents would now also
have to put their seal on stock routed to them so that
accountability for unclean stock could be fixed. He
toured various mandis in Patiala and Sangrur districts. |
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Insurance staff flay Sinha’s
remarks JALANDHAR, Oct 4 — The All-India Insurance Employees Association, here today condemned Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha’s statement wherein he had promised to enact the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) Bill. The president of the AIIEA, Mr R P Manchanda, alleged that the statement was all the more condemnable because of its timing and the fact that it was made in Washington, at the forums of the IMF World Bank and the meeting sponsored by the US-India Business Council and the CII. First, election process is still on and the composition of the new Lok Sabha is unknown. He said that the statement smacked of political arrogance taking as it did, the new Lok Sabha for granted without knowing its composition. The minister does not even talk of trying but passing the Bill. Obviously Mr Sinha is encouraged to make such statements to please the foreign powers dictating the terms, in view of the loaded poll predictions engineered vitiating the electoral process. The choice of the place and the venue, where he made this statement is significant and reprehensible. The minister knows full well that the insurance employees organised by the AIIEA have collected 1.51 crore signatures from the policy holders and other members of the public throughout the country on a memorandum addressed to the Speaker Lok Sabha opposing privatisation of insurance industry. Besides this over 300 prominent personalities have also written to the government expressing opposition to the privatisation of insurance industry. The memorandum will be
submitted to the Speaker of the 13th Lok Sabha soon after
it is constituted and a Speaker is elected. This is the
mandate of Indian people which any Government has to take
note of before rushing through any legislative action to
please foreign entities. |
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Agony of old-age
pension-seekers FATEHGARH SAHIB, Oct 4 — Thousands of aspirants for the old age and widow pension have allegedly been duped by a clerk of the local Social Security office. Hundreds of old people having identity cards of Punjab government bearing stamp and signatures of District Social Security Officer showing the sanction of their pension visit the office daily for pension, but are surprised when the officials of the department refuse to release the pension saying that these certificates were fake and their pension cases had not yet been processed. The old people some of them even unable to walk with poor sight and told The Tribune today that a clerk of the department who had been transferred from here had taken money from them to clear their pension cases. They said that they had been visiting the office daily for long, but nobody cared to sanction the pension. They had no choice but to grease the palm of the clerk. They disclosed that within days they were handed over the identity cards of the government and asked to open account in the banks. They opened accounts in the banks but till today not even a single instalment of monthly pension had been credited to their account. Waiting for a long period they have come to enquire about the cause of delay. They said earlier the officials said that there was no money with the government for the pension and it had been making false announcement and promises about pensions. In a choked voice, they said that when a few of them received the pension they also decided to enquire. They alleged that now the officials of the department were saying their identity cards were bogus, even though the identity cards were issued by the government. But the signatures were forged, and their cases were still pending. They demanded early sanction of pension as they had no other source of income. They also demanded action against those who had harassed them. When contacted District Social Security Officer admitted that certain bogus cases had also come to his notice. These cases are of the period before he joined here. He admitted that an employee of the department was involved in this racket and now he has been transferred. He added there were so many cases record of which was not available in the office. He said that there was much mismanagement before he joined. Mr V.K. Janjua, Deputy Commissioner expressed surprise about the racket. After enquiry he told that certain cases of bogus sanction of pensions had been detected. He said the entire record is being computerised and it would be complete within 15 days at tehsil and village level. After this all cases would be sent to revenue officials for verification. He said only then we would come to know the exact number of bogus cases. He assured stern action against those found involved in the racket. It is interesting that
several agents were active in the district who get the
pensions sanctioned by taking commission from the
aspirants. The papers submitted by these agents are
cleared in days. |
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Patiala monument faces collapse PATIALA: The fate of Sirhindi Gate, a protected monument, hangs in the balance owing to a controversy between residents living near it and the Department of Conservation over the issue of maintaining or demolishing it. Added to this is the perennial shortage of funds faced by the state government. Situated at the entrance of Sirhindi Bazaar and joining the Arya Samaj Market with the Patiala-Chandigarh highway, the gate was one of the nine constructed by the erstwhile rulers of the princely state in the early 19th century. Five of those have already disappeared from the scene owing to the apathy of the government and the residents. Out of the remaining four, the Sirhindi Gate is on the verge of collapse just as the obliterated ones, while the three — Darshani Gate, Samania Gate and Sunamia Gate — are fortunately in a better condition. About one and a half years ago a portion of the gate’s roof fell down and its side walls developed cracks. Two centuries of wind and rain had weakened the structure to such an extent that its collapse seems imminent. The incident was, however, enough to wake up the Department of Conservation from its slumber. It erected walls to support the crumbling edifice. But the arrangement was only temporary. Even though one and a half years have passed, still the collapsed roof has not been repaired. The residents living near the gate demanded demolition of the structure. They argued that as the gate was the main entrance point for them, any accident can occur if the gate collapsed. The residents also wanted to dismantle the gate as the narrow road going though it obstructed the flow of traffic and restricted the movement of heavy traffic. The department could not allow the demolition of the gate as it was a protected monument. While the department prevented the demolition, it did little to take care of the gate, which developed more cracks during this monsoon. Defending the department Mr Balwant Singh Assistant Conservator, who is in charge of maintaining the gate, said the department had got Rs 1.5 lakh sanctioned for renovation of the gate but the residents blocked the work. However, when the department stuck to its stand the residents had to give in, but by that time the funds had been exhausted, the conservator added. In the next financial year the department faced shortage of funds due to which much could not be spent on the gate. The department had already saved Samania Gate, near Mohindra College, from collapsing and is working hard to save the city’s heritage. Mr Jaspreet Singh, a resident living near Sirhindi Gate, said they demanded demolition of the gate because the Conservation Department was doing nothing to maintain the protected monument. Now and then bricks or cement splinters fall from the gate and injure passers-by. Mr S.M. Verma, Reader in
the Department of Correspondence Courses, Punjabi
University, said the historians were concerned at the
loss of heritage through collapse of the gates and other
monuments. |
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Case registered against cops JALANDHAR, Oct 4 (UNI) — The police has registered a case of snatching and forcible and intimidatory confinement against head constable Charanjit Singh and his junior colleagues for allegedly beating up and confining a city lawyer and depriving him of his scooter when he tried to act a Good Samaritan to rescue a few boys from the police here last night. Police sources said when lawyer Rajinder Singh Sanghera was driving by Milk Bar chowk in the city around 10.30 pm, he saw policemen having seated some alleged traffic defaulter boys at the traffic rotary. The lawyer requested the cops to let the boys go home as their parents might be getting worried over their having not reached home. The cop objected to undue interference in the police work, leading to a wordy duel with the lawyer. They allegedly beat him up, took him to a police station and kept him there for a few hours before he was released. When lawyers met city SP
Pawan Uppal he ordered the registration of a case under
sections 392 and 365, IPC, against the cops. |
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Woman set afire, residents block traffic JALANDHAR, Oct 4 (UNI) — Residents agitated over the death of a woman by burning blockaded traffic in the city this evening, demanding the arrest of the accused charged with setting ablaze the woman after dousing her with kerosene. Raj Kaur, who was allegedly set afire by the elder brother of her husband at the family joint property in Basti Mithu on September 27, died at a hospital here this evening, triggering the blockade at the Kapurthala chowk. The blockade disrupted traffic at peak hours. Her husband Surinder Singh, too, was allegedly thrashed by his brother Bachan Singh Arewala, who had reportedly been absconding since September 27. When relatives of the woman were bringing her body in a van to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem, examination, the residents of the locality led by ruling Akali party state committee member Pritam Singh and Dr Ram Lal Jassi, also of the Akali Dal, held a demonstration at the traffic junction. The protesters lifted
the blockade only when city Superintendent of Police
Pawan Uppal assured them of the early arrest of the
accused. |
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Workers burn CM's effigy CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — On the call of the state committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), workers observed a protest day today against the alleged anti-worker attitude of the Punjab Government. The workers assembled at the Industrial Area, Phase I, and marched in procession to The Tribune chowk where they shouted slogans against the Punjab Government. They later burnt the effigy of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The agitators demanded
the immediate re-employment of the employees of a tractor
factory and payment of their wages and transfer of the DC
and the SSP of Hoshiarpur for their alleged role in the
lathi-charge on the workers recently. |
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Steps to "legalise"
quackery resented AMRITSAR, Oct 4 — A meeting of the general body of the local branch of the Indian Medical Association and the local Surgeons Society held here today, expressed concern over the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government towards the health of the people. The participants took exception to the alleged steps being taken by the Punjab Government to legalise quackery in the state through "back-door entry of quacks" to register them. The members felt akin to the "bare-foot doctors" scheme mooted by the Central Government about 15 years ago, which was dropped because of large-scale countrywide protests by people. The members felt that this was another case of petty politics being played by the government and urged it to stop it in the interests of the masses. They alleged that the
government was showing an indifferent attitude towards
the state doctors by not giving them proper pay-scales,
proper promotions and proper infrastructure to carry out
their duties. |
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Allegations baseless, says Mayor JALANDHAR, Oct 4 — The Mayor Mr Suresh Sehgal has termed the allegations as baseless that Senior Deputy Mayor Mr G.S. Narula complained to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, accusing him (Mayor) of helping encroachment on Municipal Corporation land in the city. Mr Sehgal, condemned the role of Mr Narula, who also belongs to the ruling SAD-BJP combine and claimed that his focus was on development which was going smoothly. “If I am wrong in my duty, a Vigilance inquiry should be held into allegations of corruption in the corporation”, he claimed. He said that he had
appealed to Mr Badal and approached him to take action
against Mr G.S. Narula, Senior Deputy Mayor, but no
action has been made so far. |
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PWD engineers’ forum CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — Mr R.K. Choudhary has been elected president of the Punjab PWD Public Health Executive Engineers Forum. Mr G.B.S. Chopra has been elected vice-president and Mr D.K. Bhasin general secretary Mr Jaswinder Gill and Mr
N.S. Gill have been elected executive members
unanimously. |
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NTAS award for photo artist PATIALA, Oct 4 — The National Theatre Arts Society has conferred "Universal Brotherhood" award on reputed photo artist, Mr Surjit Singh Grewal, an NRI, at a function organised to celebrate ekta divas on Gandhi Jayanti. A five-member presidium,
including Mr Narjinder Singh Sekhon, SP (HQ), Capt R.S.
Randhawa, ADC; Mr Karnail Singh, Chairman, Bhai Sahib
Gurbax Singh Memorial Trust Auditorium, Majri Akalian,
and Mr Pran Sabharwal, Director, NTAS, presented the
award, a memento, a shawl and other gifts to him. |
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Health meeting inaugurated HOSHIARPUR, Oct 4 — To finalise the strategy for reducing the infant mortality rate and maternity mortality rate in a cluster of border district, a two-day meeting of health authorities of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh was inaugurated at Lajwanti Tourist Complex here today. The meeting is being hosted by the Health Services and Family Welfare Department, Punjab, under the aegis of UNICEF. The experts are
discussing the strategy for reducing infant mortality
rate and maternal morality rate to half in the next four
years through improving community ownership of services
at the sub-centre level, building health and nutrition
teams, supportive supervision, improved drug supply and
improved logistics. |
||
Rapist arrested LUDHIANA, Oct 4 — The focal point police today arrested Mr Sangeet Kumar, who is alleged to have raped a seven-year-old girl here yesterday. In another incident, a
17-year-old youth was crushed to death in Quilla Mohalla
here today when he was hit by a tractor-trolley. Another
youth, who was riding the bicycle with the deceased,
escaped unhurt. |
||
No dry day in UT, Punjab
today CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — There will be no dry day in Punjab or Chandigarh tomorrow. Though both the Punjab Government and the Chandigarh Administration had declared dry days from October 5 to 7 on account of the counting of votes of the Lok Sabha elections, the order was subsequently changed on instructions from the Election Commission. A spokesman of the
Punjab Chief Electoral Officers' office has confirmed
that there will be no dry day in Punjab tomorrow. Dry
days will however, be observed in Punjab on October 6 and
7 like in Chandigarh. |
||
Holiday at counting centres on
Oct 6 LUDHIANA, Oct 4 —
The Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer of the
Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Arun Goel, has
declared a holiday in all those educational institutions
of the constituency which have been made into counting
centres on October 6. |
||
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