Thursday, September 30, 1999
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Thursday, September 30, 1999 |
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NHRC seeks report on
engineer’s death BATHINDA, Sept 29 — The National Human Rights Commission has asked the Directors General of Police of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to submit their reports on the mysterious death of Rajinder Kumar Singla, a Punjabi engineer who was working in Calcutta. Badal’s statements ‘misleading’ CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, said here yesterday that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was making misleading statements as regards former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. |
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No threat to SAD, BJP
govt: CM KHADOOR SAHIB (TARN TARAN), Sept 29 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal has said his government would complete its five year term. Addressing a political conference of the SAD, on the occasion of “Gurgaddi divas” of second Sikh Guru Angad Dev here today, he said his government was not facing any threat from the division of the SAD. Cured by
fasting MC
staff to face action MOs
deputed to tackle dengue PCMS
delegation meets Chief Secy Tohra
defends Harbans Singh High
Court: Contempt notice to Principal
Secy Vasant,
Mann asked to visit dam site Officials
sent to Ludhiana by CM Dr
Shan invited to ICANAS-2000 Tohra
acting as ‘Cong mouthpiece’ Inter-state
gang of robbers busted |
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NHRC seeks report on
engineer’s death BATHINDA, Sept 29 — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Directors General of Police of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to submit their reports on the mysterious death of Rajinder Kumar Singla, a Punjabi engineer who was working in a private company in Calcutta, in February, 1999. In a notice issued to both the DGPs, the commission asked them to submit their reports and requisite information before October 20. The commission added that in default it would proceed to take such action as it deemed fit. The commission had also mentioned in the notice that the information and reports would be furnished only by the authorities which were called upon to do so. Rajinder Kumar Singla, had rung up his wife in Dhuri (Sangrur) on January 28, 1999, and asked her to rush to Calcutta immediately with some relatives to save his life from the son of the Chief Engineer working in the same organisation. The deceased had also made similar calls to his parents. His parents and some relatives rushed to Calcutta immediately but returned empty handed as they could not find their son in Calcutta. On February 5, some other officials of the private company where Rajinder was working, informed his parents that Rajinder was admitted at a hospital in Rae Bareli. Later, he was shifted to a hospital in Lucknow. When his parents reached Lucknow, Rajinder was in the hospital in an unconscious condition and had a fractured leg and head injury. His parents decided to shift him to a hospital in Punjab as there was no improvement in his condition. However, Rajinder died on the way. The police in Rae Bareli told the parents of the deceased that Rajinder was picked up from a railway track in unconscious state. Dr Vineeta Gupta, member
of National Council of the People’s Union of Civil
Liberties (PUCL) took up the matter with the NHRC to get
the case investigated properly. |
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Badal’s statements
‘misleading’ CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, said here yesterday that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was making misleading statements as regards former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. He said Mr Badal had himself broken the party’s code of conduct by offering political offices to members of the SGPC. Giving instances in this connection, Mr Chandumajra said first Mr Badal gave the party ticket to Mr Suchha Singh Langah and Bibi Jagir Kaur to contest the Vidhan Sabha poll although they were elected members of the SGPC. Mr Badal did not stop there. He also made both ministers after they were elected MLAs. Besides, two other members of the SGPC — Mr Chitan Singh Samon and Mr Zora Singh Mann — were given the ticket to contest the Lok Sabha poll in February, 1998. Mr Tohra had opposed Mr Badal’s decision to give the ticket for contesting elections to the Assembly and Parliament to SGPC members. To nominate Mr Tohra for the Rajya Sabha was the decision of the party and not of Mr Tohra. He alleged that Mr Badal
himself was holding nearly 20 political and government
portfolios. Apart from being president of the SAD and
Chief Minister he had also nearly 20 government
departments under him and was the chairperson for about
15 boards and corporations. |
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Cheating in name of martyrs HOSHIARPUR, Sept 29 —A case has been registered at the local city police station under Section 420, IPC, against the organisers of the Ashok Masti show for cheating the public in the name of martyrs of Kargil. According to a police spokesman here today, the Sailas Shivam Dancing School here organised the show at the local Hotel Shiraz Regency on September 25 for providing financial assistance to the families of 20 martyrs of the district. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab was to participate in the show as the chief guest. The organisers widely publicised the show and sold tickets worth lakh of rupees ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 500 without taking any permission from the excise authorities for exemption from entertainment tax. They also collected money from the big business houses as donations for giving it to the widows of martyrs. The organisers had booked a pop singer, Ashok Masti of Mumbai, for Rs 80,000 to perform at the show. Ashok Masti reached here to participate in the programme but did not go to the venue because of the non-payment of his balance amount. The organisers had given him Rs 35,000 as advance money. Capt Kanwaljit Singh also reached the spot but when he came to know the reality he left for Chandigarh. Moreover, the district administration did not allow the widows of martyrs to participate in the entertainment programme as it came to know that the organisers were going to provide only a sewing machine to each of them in the name of financial help. The show started at 8.30 p.m. with some local artistes performing. When Ashok Masti did not reach the venue till 10.30 p.m. the audience lost its patience and started hooting because of which the organisers, stage conductors and local artistes slipped away. The people approached
the magistrate, Mr Vijay Sharma, Tehsildar, and Mr R.P.
Bakshi, DSP, here who were on duty and demanded the
refund of their money. The matter was reported to the
Deputy Commissioner, who recommended the registration of
a case. |
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No threat to SAD, BJP govt:
CM KHADOOR SAHIB (TARN TARAN), Sept 29 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal has said his government would complete its five year term. Addressing a political conference of the SAD, on the occasion of “Gurgaddi divas” of second Sikh Guru Angad Dev here today, Mr Badal said his government was not facing any threat from the division of the SAD and the results of the recently held Lok Sabha elections would clearly show that Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal had no mass base. He posed a question to Mr Tohra, who had been claiming that Badal government’s days were numbered, if he (Mr Tohra) would form a government with the support of the Congress. Mr Badal alleged that Mr Tohra had fielded candidates to “help” the Congress. The Chief Minister said
the SAD was waging a war against the Congress as well as
the SHSAD. |
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Cured by fasting SUNAM, Sept 29 — Every year with the onset of “chatur-masa” the followers of Jainism start fasting. They believe that by observing fast they create their way direct to heaven, incurable diseases are cured. Mrs Raj Rani Jain (43), wife of Mr Jogi Ram, a resident of Jakhal Mandi and a mother of two is also one of them who has great faith in Jainism and observes fast every year. When this correspondent contacted her today at her residence and inquired how she succeeded to observe the 109-day-long fast which she started on June 11 and ended today. She said she had started observing fast since 1991 when she observed an eight days’ fast. Subsequently she increased the number of days. In 1996 she came in contact with her Jain guru Sadhvi Gulab Kumari Ji at Sardar Sahib in Rajasthan. In 1998 she observed a fast for 98 days. This year she broke all her previous records by observing 109-day-long fast. When she was questioned regarding her faith in Jainism and who guided her to observe fasts, she replied that a cancer-like disease had developed in her uterus and consulted known gynaecologists. They all suggested her that if she wanted to live more then her uterus needs to be removed. She said her guru suggested her to observe fast to cure her disease. Ms Raj Rani said faith in her Guru and Jainism prompted her to start observing fast and her incurable disease was fully cured after her 76 days’ fast in 1997. When she consulted the doctors again for the same she said that all the consultants were very much surprised on re-examining her and declared her fully cured. Ms Raj Rani Jain did not even drink water for the first few days and subsequently she took only boiled water once or twice a day. Despite this, she seemed full of energy and no sign of weakness or fatigue were seen on her face. She still begins her day
early in the morning. |
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MC staff to face action LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The Commissioner of the local Municipal Corporation has recommended action against those employees of the corporation, who had either connived with the builders or otherwise did not stop them from constructing unauthorised structures in violation of the building by laws. In the case of Mall Plaza, located on Mall Road near the Fountain Chowk, the builder had got a stay order from the lower court which was modified by the appellate court, which directed the Municipal Corporation to take action as per law against unauthorised constructions. In spite of clear orders of the court, the then Law Officer of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, Mr S.C. Gupta, instead of recommending action against the builder, gave his legal opinion to file a second appeal thus indirectly helping the builder by giving him more time for further construction. The government has been asked to take action against the law officer, according to an official press note issued here today. Similarly, a report has also been sent to the government against the then Municipal Town Planner, Mr J.P. Singh the then Assistant Town Planner, Mr V.K. Mahajan, the then Building Inspector of the area, Mr B.K. Dutta and other employees who directly or indirectly helped this unauthorised structure to come up. Reports for taking action against other officers and employees of the building branch, involved in cases of similar nature are also being sent to the government. The Municipal Commissioner has warned the employees and officers of the corporation against allowing the construction of unauthorised structures. He also appealed the
general public, especially builders in the town not to
construct any structure in violation of the building by
laws otherwise these would be demolished by the
corporation. |
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MOs deputed to tackle dengue LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Medical officers (MOs) have been deputed at all 10 primary health centres in the district to deal with the dengue-outbreak in the city. A round-the clock control room too has been set up at these centres. This was announced by the Punjab Health Minister, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, at a press conference here today. The minister had come here to assess the situation arising out of the dengue-outbreak. He visited several patients admitted in Dayanand Medical College (DMC) and Christian Medical College (CMC) here. Mr Rajesh Chabra, Principal Secretary, Health, Dr G.S. Preet, Director, Health Services, and Dr Rajinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon, accompanied him. Mr Kalia said four dengue patients were admitted in the DMC and three in the CMC at present. He said the outbreak of the disease was confined to Ludhiana and the Health Department was making all-out efforts to check the spread of the disease by spraying malathion in sensitive areas. Both the Municipal Corporation and the Health department were engaged in this task, he said. Replying to a question
about adulterated foodgrains being sold in the city, Dr
Rajinder Kaur said 154 samples had been taken this year
out of which 18 were found adulterated while results of
16 samples were still awaited. |
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PCMS delegation meets Chief
Secy CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — A delegation of the PCMS Association, Punjab, led by Dr M.S. Randhawa met the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, in his office to press the demand to reverse the decision of the government as regards obtaining reports from panchayats in villages about attendance of doctors in rural hospitals. Mr Mann explained to the delegation members that the intention of the government was to ensure that people living in the villages should get the required services from various government institutions. The very purpose of setting up hospitals, schools and other institutions in the rural areas would be totally defeated if the staff posted in these institutions did not do their jobs with devotion. The association leaders agreed to suggest an effective alternative to ensure regular attendance of doctors and the staff posted in rural areas. They clarified that they would in way condone the attitude of doctors indulging in absenteeism. It was agreed at the meeting that as soon as a suitable alternative proposal is received from the association, the government will review the earlier order. Meanwhile, Dr Randhawa
and his associates in a statement here after meeting Mr
Mann claimed that the state government had agreed to
withhold departmental instructions on its decision
seeking monthly panchayat reports regarding daily
attendance of doctors and the staff in rural areas. |
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Tohra defends Harbans Singh JALANDHAR, Sept 29 — Former SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra said he would not contest the forthcoming election for the presidentship of the SGPC. Briefing the media here today, he said his party had enough candidates for the post, however, the decision of the party candidate would be taken after the announcement of elections. Speaking on the controversy regarding the Sikh Gurdwara Act, he opposed any amendment in the act "without the recommendations" of the SGPC. He defended the Chief Commissioner of Gurdwara Elections, Justice Harbans Singh’s proposal to amend the Act and said "he has every right to articulate proposals, regarding the Act". He said the draft should have been first put up to the Sikh organisations for deliberation and then passed in the SGPC Committee. Taking serious note of
the Home Ministry’s direct interference by issuing
notifications, he said it was a direct interference in
the Sikh religious affairs. |
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High Court CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to Punjab’s Principal Secretary (Finance) for November 30 on a contempt petition filed by Mr Janam Singh and Mr Ramesh Chander, employees of the Bhakra Main line Circle. The petition come up for hearing before Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal. The petitioners stated that the High Court had directed the respondents on March 30 to sanction certain posts within a period of four months. However, until today the High Court order had not been complied with. They stated that the
failure of the respondents to comply with the order of
the court amounted to contempt of the court. |
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Vasant, Mann asked to visit dam
site CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — Taking serious note of the reported technical snag delaying the commissioning of the Ranjit Sagar Project, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today directed the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, and Energy Adviser, Mr N.S. Vasant, and the Chairman of the Ranjit Sagar Project Construction Committee, Mr R.S. Gill, to visit Thein Dam to fix the responsibility for the technical snag. He has also authorised the high-powered technical committee to engage any number of prominent engineers from the Central Electricity Authority, National Hydel Power Corporation of the private sector to look into the design and construction aspects related to the project. The high-powered
committee will start its enquiry on October 1, according
to a government press note. |
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Officials sent to Ludhiana by CM CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here today instructed the senior officials of the Punjab Local Bodies and Health departments to rush to Ludhiana for launching fogging and cleanliness drive. The instructions have been issued following reports of outbreak of dengue in Ludhiana. The officials have also
been urged to take along with them teams of doctors with
medicines and equipment. |
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Dr Shan invited to
ICANAS-2000 CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — Dr Harnam Singh Shan, former Chairman, Guru Nanak Chair and Head of the Department of Punjabi and of Sikh Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, has been invited to participate in the 36th International Congress of Asian and North African Studies (ICANAS-2000) and present a paper therein on the theme: "Oriental and Asian Studies in the Era of Globalisation: Heritage and Modernity — Opportunities and Challenges." The congress will be held in Montreal, Canada, from August 27 to September 1, 2000, under the auspices of the Universite de Montreal. It is intended to open new avenues of research and set high standards of communications between East and West at the dawn of the 21st century. This international forum of eminent scholars and researchers of Oriental Studies meets every four years in a capital city of the world to deliberate on the contemporary as well as the ancient and the traditional Orient in the light of various disciplines of the humanities and the social sciences. Dr Shan has already
participated in some of its previous sessions held in the
U.S.A., Germany, Australia, Canada, Hungary, Mexico, Hong
Kong. |
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Tohra acting as ‘Cong
mouthpiece’ CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — Two senior Akali Ministers, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal and Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan said here today that the former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, was acting as a "mouthpiece of the Congress" and criticising the Punjab Government as a result of his "political frustration". They in a joint statement here described the protest dharna planned by the splinter groups as a "stunt and a futile attempt" to revive political fortunes of Mr Tohra. Both ministers said Mr Tohra's criticism of paddy procurement operations in the state was totally contrary to the facts. From being tardy, the procurement operations by state government agencies showed a 10-fold increase over the past year. Thanks to the tireless efforts by the Chief Minister, the farmers have been assured a remunerative price for paddy showing a record increase of Rs 50 a quintal. They averred that what
Mr Tohra describes as a financial crisis in the state was
in fact, the process of economic adjustment. |
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Inter-state gang of robbers
busted GURDASPUR, Sept 29 — The police has intercepted an inter-state gang of criminals, "kale kachhe wale" involved in robberies. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, briefing newsmen today said a police party was briefed to conduct a raid near Chanan Diyan Marrian here. The party arrested Totu, alias Aslam, and Raju, both residents of Golwan under Nurpur police station, Ranjit and Amar, both residents of Thanpur, Chhindi, a resident of village 53 Meel, near Kangra, and Vicky alias Jamboo, a resident of Dhakka Colony, Pathankot. Two of their associates escaped. The SSP said arms and
ammunition were recovered from their possession. Their
area of operation extended to Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana,
Ferozepore, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur districts in Punjab
and Kangra in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. |
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Three run over by trains,
killed PHAGWARA, Sept 29 — Two persons were run over by trains and killed here today. One Harjit Singh, aged 35, was killed near Khajurla while one was crushed near Mauli under the Malwa Express. A Tamil youth was killed under another train yesterday. The identity of the last
two was being established. It is not known whether the
deaths were accidental. |
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Embargo
on DA deplored LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — The Punjab Government's reported move to pay salary or pension without DA or freeze DA for yet another year in view of the financial crunch is altogether ill-advised and highly deplorable, according to President Government Pensioners Association. "It was tantamount to imposition of undeclared financial emergency. More than 5 lakh employees and pensioners will fight it tooth and nail, pensioners will join hands with employees' federations to launch a state-wide agitation against this anti-employee measure of the Badal regime," said Mr Yash Pal Ghai, Additional General Secretary of the Association. The two DA instalments
due from January and July this year were due. The
government should act on wasteful expenditure and release
DA dues to the employees |
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TA
for Punjab policemen TARN TARAN, Sept 29 — Policemen will soon get a coupon of Rs 400 and Rs 200 cash as travelling allowance by bus up to 1100 km. This was disclosed at
Chabal by Mr Sarbjit Singh, Director General of Police,
Punjab, yesterday. He also inaugurated a police station
building. He also addressed a public meeting. |
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Lawyers
urge CM to resign BATHINDA, Sept 29 — Lawyers for Human Rights, Punjab, today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to resign from office as he had “failed” to control the police force of the state and to punish those police officials who were guilty of human rights violation during the past many years. In a press note issued here today, Mr Balwant Singh Dhillon, Vice-President of the organisation, said in a meeting of the district body held yesterday, the members felt that the Chief Minister and the Director-General of Police, Punjab, had failed to control the police excesses on commoners. He said the members decried the fact that Mr Badal had come to power by committing himself against police excesses. He added that on the
contrary corruption in the police department had reached
new levels during Mr Badal’s tenure. |
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Whitefly
threat LUDHIANA, Sept 29 — Regular surveys carried out by the entomologists of Punjab Agricultural University have revealed high build-up of the pest, whitefly, in cotton at almost all places in the state. Whitefly is the most important sucking pest attacking cotton and many other crops. It damages the crop by sucking the sap from leaves and by vectoring deadly disease known as cotton leaf curl virus. Its feeding results in development of black fungus. It ultimately causes “burning or drying up” of plants. The scientists have
advised the farmers to stop using synthetic pyrethroids
or their mixtures. |
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TA
for Punjab policemen TARN TARAN, Sept 29 — Policemen will soon get a coupon of Rs 400 and Rs 200 cash as travelling allowance by bus up to 1100 km. This was disclosed at Chabal by Mr Sarbjit Singh, Director General of Police, Punjab, yesterday. He also inaugurated a police station building. He also addressed a
public meeting. |
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Engineers' grouse SAS NAGAR, Sept 29 — The Punjab Public Works Department (Public Health) Executive Engineers' Forum has expressed concern at the difficulties being faced by executive engineers in the field regarding maintenance of water supply schemes in the Kandi area due to shortage of funds. The vice-president of the forum, Mr G.B.S. Chopra said the forum at its recent meeting in Ludhiana had decided to raise the issue with the state government. Shortage of potable water in rural areas and insufficient chlorination were due to paucity of funds, he said. The following were
elected at the meeting office-bearers of the forum:
president — Mr R.K. Choudhary; vice-president —
Mr G.B.S. Chopra; general secretary — Mr D.K. Bhasin
and executive members — Mr Jaswinder Singh and Mr
N.S. Gill. |
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1500
saplings planted CHANDIGARH, Sept 29 — The Punjab Police and the WWF have jointly decided to make all police stations, police lines and police institutes in the state environment-friendly and green. As a major step towards this goal, more than 1500 saplings of some traditional varieties, including shisham, neem, bottlebrush, eucalyptus and jamun were planted at the BSF Recruits Training Centre at Jahan Khelan in Hoshiarpur district this morning. The Director-General of Police, Mr Sarabjit Singh, was the first one to plant a sapling. Others who planted
saplings included Mrs Babli Brar, Chairperson of the WWF,
besides senior officials from the Forest department,
including Mr Harsh Kumar. |
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