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| Sunday,
November 11, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Celebrations a poll ploy: Tohra Badrukhan (Sangrur), November 10 Jathedar Tohra was here to participate in a religious function organised to begin the construction work of a gurdwara being built in memory of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the Vichla patti of the village. Badrukhan is Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s mother’s village. Jathedar Tohra said Mr Badal, it seemed, was celebrating the coronation of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, not of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as he had postponed the coronation
celebrations function from November 13 to November 18 in view of Mr Vajpayee’s foreign tour. Jathedar Tohra said had he been in power, he would have celebrated the bicentenary of “Sarkar-e-Khalsa” on April 13, 2001, in place of the coronation ceremony because no coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was held in April 1801. Besides, Maharaja never sat on the “takht” nor did he wear a crown during his regime, he added. Jathedar Tohra said the Sikhs did not believe in the coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Even a renowned Sikh historian, Dr Harnam Singh Shan, in an essay, published in the SGPC’s magazine, “Gurdwara Gazette”, had written that no coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh had been done, he added. He accused Mr Badal of distorting Sikh history by celebrating the bicentenary coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Jathedar Tohra also criticised Mr Badal for not paying attention to Badrukhan village in the past five years. He said Mr Badal had done nothing for this village of Maharaja Ranjit Singh though he was now exploiting his name. Jathedar Tohra claimed that a poll panel between the Panthic Morcha and the BSP had already been formed. Mr Tohra said the Reserve Bank of India was not releasing loans to the Punjab Government for making payments to the arhtiyas for the paddy procured. He said due to this, farmers were waiting for payments for one month. He said the RBI had stopped the release of funds to the Punjab government as the government had not presented accounts, so far, of the loans already received from the RBI. Jathedar Tohra said the statement of Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, that the Haryana would accept the decision of the Supreme Court on the SYL canal, showed that the Haryana thought that it would be in its favour. He also alleged that in view of the elections in Punjab, the Punjab Government and the Union Government had managed to stop the announcement of the verdict on the SYL canal because the SAD-BJP government knew it would go against Punjab. Jathedar Tohra also accused the SAD of becoming a partner in the passing of River Waters Bill in the Lok Sabha though it was against Punjab’s interests. He said with the passage of this Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the waters of Punjab rivers could easily be utilised by other states and the Central Government. |
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Badal violates Sikh
code of conduct? Jalandhar, November 10 It seems so if the Sikh code of conduct issued by the Dharam Parchar Committee of the SGPC and the views of Sikh scholars are taken into account. Section 4 of the code of conduct specifies that a Sikh should not believe or practice yajnas which was a part of the “bhoomi pujan” performed by Mr Badal. The four-laning of the road, a dream project of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, is being undertaken by the National Highway Authority of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It had been clearly mentioned on the invitation cards that Mr Badal would conduct the “bhoomi pujan” of the project. The ceremony performed by Mr Badal was followed by the applying of a “tilk” on his forehead by the priest conducting the yajna. Though the Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti was not available for comments despite repeated efforts, Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Jathedar of Akal Takht, observed that performing “bhoomi pujan” or participating in yajnas or havans was against the established Sikh tenets. “But Mr Badal is violating these tenets with impunity,” he alleged. Mr G.S. Lamba, a Jalandhar-based Sikh scholar, also said the participation or performing of “bhoomi pujan” was against the spirit of established Sikh tenets. “No Sikh can perform any such puja except that of the ‘akal purakh’,” Mr Lamba said. Meanwhile, the sangat darshan programme of Mr Badal at Bhogpur got marred to some extent by the “pre-emptive” arrests of the Adampur Congress MLA, Mr Kanwaljit Lalli, and 45 other Congress workers, who according to the police authorities had planned to create trouble at the programme. Mr Lalli was arrested at around 7.30 a.m. from the Nangal Shama township, while other Congress workers were arrested from areas around Adampur and Bhogpur. They were, however, produced in a court in the afternoon and were released on bail bonds. The people felt harassed as police personnel resorted to searching of pockets of visitors and participants. Earlier, speaking at the function, Mr Badal said there was nothing illegal in conducting sangat darshan programmes. Giving a blow to the general impression that the Akali factions could unite before the poll, Mr Badal said Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra had done nothing for Sikhism and the people of Punjab. Punjab Minister Balramji Dass Tandon and Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner K. Shiva Prasad also spoke on the occasion. |
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Rs 17,000 cr to better Rly
safety Patiala, November 10 Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar on a visit to the Diesel Component Works (DCW) complex here, said here today the device, which had been invented by the Konkan Railways, had already been field-tested and would be installed on trains across the country shortly. He said it would be the first time in the world that a device would be installed in trains to rule out completely head on collisions. The device would be installed at both ends of the locomotive and halt the train in case two trains approached each other on the same track in a radius of 3 km. He said the device would override all manual controls to stop the train automatically. The Union Minister said the Railways was also considering installing the device at unmanned level crossings whereby it would give emit signals in case the track was blocked. He said there was also a proposal to instal user operative lifts at unmanned crossings to ensure their commuters took care to cross the track. Mr Nitish Kumar said the Railways was going in for massive safety components under which it was also implementing the Justice H R Khanna report which had recommended one time grant of Rs 17,000 crores to the Railways for safety measures. He said while the Railways would generate Rs 5,000 crore by applying a safety surcharge on consumers, it would get Rs 12,000 crore from the Finance Ministry. The Minister said other safety measures in the offing were stringent use of automatic flashers to warn of danger, track renewals, repair of old bridges, replacement of signal gears, locomotives and wagons and bringing in safety enhancement items. Component Works authorities disclosed that it was planning to manufacture a new type multi vehicle which is known as ‘’Rail cum Road vehicle’’. They said this would move on rail as well as road as and when required and would help to reach accident sites easily. The Union Minister also inspected the Workshop of the Institute. During inspection of the workshop. Mr G K Wadhwa, CAO (R) apprised the Minister of the technological upgradation of existing coaches. |
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DFSCs asked to ensure
full payment to farmers Chandigarh, November 10
The government has directed the District Food and Supply Controllers and other officers of various procurement agencies of the state government to ensure full and final payment to farmers against their paddy procured by the agencies at minimum support price. If any commission agent or a government official has been indulging in any sort of mischief to make the payment to farmers, action should be taken against him immediately. The Food and Supply Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, told TNS today that he had directed the Secretary and Director of the department to convey the government’s instructions to all concerned in this connection. He said that the government would not spare any one found guilty. He said that no doubt the procurement agencies had done good work by ensuring a trouble-free procurement of paddy but no one could be allowed to resort to unfair means while making the payment to farmers was concerned. He said that the action would be taken against senior officers, if they failed to ensure full payment to farmers concerned. The officers concerned had been told to meet farmers to check from them that if any one has taken bribe from them for the procurement of their paddy. It may be mentioned here that The Tribune had published reports with regard to the “cut” made from the payment made to the farmers. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken a suo motu notice of such reports and has asked the state government to set up a cell in the State Vigilance Bureau to receive complaints from farmers in this connection. When asked about the delay in making payment to the farmers, Mr Mittal said that the money was routed through the State Finance Department for payment to the farmers by the agencies. In the first instalment sum of Rs 4100 crore was released and after this Rs 1000 crore more were given to the agencies for payment to the farmers. After these two instalments Rs 1020 crore were released yesterday. About Rs 500 crore more would be required to make full and final payment for which arrangement was being made, he added. Meanwhile, the government has urged the Union Government to release more money to it against the procurement of paddy. Sources said that as a huge wheat stock had not been transferred to the central pool from the state pool, the interest on the money arranged to procure wheat in the past years had to be paid by the state government to the consortium of banks through the RBI. Now the Punjab Government has asked the Union Government to count interest also in the money sanctioned to the state government to procure the foodgrains. Though interest and other overhead costs on the food stocks procured by the state government agencies for the central pool is duly reimbursed to the state agencies by the Union Government but the payment in this connection was made only after the transfer of foodgrains to the FCI from state agencies. Often, the transfer of foodstocks takes two to three years and the interest on the money of that period had to be paid by the state agencies. And such interest runs in several hundred crores of rupees. |
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Milk bars for jobless
youth Chandigarh, November 10 According to the Minister of Co-operation, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Milkfed will offer milk bars to the jobless at strategic points in Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Milk plant general managers concerned or district co-operative milk producers’ unions have been supplied with requisite information to guide the youth interested in finding a toehold in self-employment. The scheme is open to even ex-servicemen, riot victims and those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and backward classes. Though the applicant will arrange land for putting up the kiosk, rest of the facilities will be provided by Milkfed. Once the cost of the infrastructure (kiosk) is recovered it would become property of the applicant. The scheme envisages supply of even the deep freeze and bottle cooler. The prospective candidates will locate their milk kiosks near bus stands, colleges, courts and public places most frequented. There is a provision for allocation of site on government land as well. Giving details of the week, the minister said besides launching new schemes and providing initiatives, Puncofed would mobilise people by promoting understanding of co-operatives through village-level guidance and education camps at focal points. A spate of inaugurations and laying of foundation stones of various co-operative projects and institutions is also part of the weeklong programme. The co-operatives from banks to federations—Markfed, Milkfed, Sugarfed, Housefed, Industrialfed, Labourfed etc—have all played a crucial role in improving the economy of the state as also members of various co-operative institutions enabling Punjab to sustain its development and growth. Easy availability of credit even for non-agricultural purposes has gone a long way to build a strong, viable social web, said the Minister. Special measures like settlement scheme-2000 has enabled debt-laden farmers to heave a sigh of relief whereas the co-operative banks were able to recover a handsome amount of outstanding loans. The co-operatives are showing their presence in the urban areas as well. For those the weeklong celebrations will open a new vista in ‘’Sahkari Shahri Awas Yojna’’ by providing housing finance to urban dwellers through co-operative banks. This scheme, to be launched on November 14 would enable an applicant to get housing loan up to Rs 5 lakh on competitive rate of interest of 13 per cent. The Registrar, Co-operatives, Mr Suresh Kumar, said while the co-operative banks had advanced Rs 7,000 crore as short-term crop loans during 1997-2001, the co-operative agricultural development banks’ contribution was Rs 1,570 crore, as long-term agricultural loans. |
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Illegal tree felling: kin of minister
fined Fazilka, November 10 Officials of the Forest Department spotted the axed sheesham trees at a saw mill in the town and got suspicious. After investigation they found that Manish Kumar, a relative of Mr Surjit Kumar, and his accomplices Sukhraj, Vijay Kumar were involved in the illegal felling and selling of trees. They reportedly confessed to the crime and according to the departmental rules, Rs 55,000 were recovered from them. The Department officers further revealed that the sheesham trees were cut from near the Fazilka distributory in the area adjoining Banwala and Ojhanwali villages. The intriguing aspect is the recovery and imposition of fine, which was recovered after many days of the detection of theft. According to the sources, even as the tractor-trailer carrying the axed trees was taken to the Sadar police station here, hectic efforts were made to hush up the matter. An attempt was reportedly made to make the tractor-trailor driver, Sham Lal, a scapegoat and book him as the main accused. However, as the news was published in newspapers, the investigating agencies had to act. According to the sources, six more sheesham trees have been cut in the Jalalabad range by some persons based in Fazilka and the matter was being hushed up due to political pressure. |
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Harpreet case shifted to Sessions
Court Patiala, November 10 Earlier, the CBI
Special Court had committed the case to the Sessions Court on October 20. District and Sessions Judge S.N. Aggarwal today transferred the case to the court of the Additional Sessions Judge. Arguments on charge are expected to take place on the next date of hearing in the case on December 8. |
Cong prepares agenda for Punjab poll New Delhi, November 10 The coordination committee for Punjab, that met at the AICC here today, decided a comprehensive programme for the state which will be completed before the issue of poll notification in January next. According to the programme decided at today’s meeting presided over by AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, rallies would be held in each of the 117 constituencies of the state in December. The Congress is planning to hold at least three rallies in all constituencies and each of these rallies would be attended by at least one senior Congress leader. The detailed programme of the rallies is being drawn and the PPCC would give the high-command a list of the Congress Chief Ministers and other leaders it wants to canvass in the state. |
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Cong leaders to meet Returning Officers Hoshiarpur, November 10 Mr Om Parkash Saini, General-Secretary, District Congress Committee, Hoshiarpur, in a press note issued here today said Giani Gurcharan Singh, President, Block Congress Committee, Tanda, had brought to the notice of the Committee yesterday that on the instance of a SAD minister of Tanda names of pro Congress persons were being deleted from the voter lists. It was also decided to hold a rally of the district Congress workers as soon as Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, returns from the USA. |
Prisoners to get LPG, toothpaste, brushes Ludhiana, November 10 An order approving this was issued by the state government yesterday. A grant of Rs 60 lakh has been given to the department for meeting this expenditure. For the first time in the history of jails, with LPG, the inmates would no longer be susceptible to chest and other diseases due to
exposure to smoke in the jail’s kitchen. It would also be the first time that the inmates would be using toothpastes and brushes as since time immemorial, the inmates were using datuns to brush their teeth. The datuns were not the normally available ones and were of any kind of wood, which caused injuries also. Mr
R.S. Chalsia ADGP (Prisons) here today after participating in a function at the local central jail, said these facilities had become necessary in the wake of the reports of an extensive medical check-up of over 11,000 inmates lodged in 26 jails of the state. The check-up revealed that about 40 per cent of jail inmates suffered from
bronchial asthma, congestion and respiratory disorders. Another 25 per cent were suffering from hypertension while 20 per cent were diabetic. A large number was suffering from blurred and weak sight as well. A substantial number suffered from dental problems. Mr Chalia said most of the persons suffering from respiratory problems were the ones working in the jail kitchens as they inhaled smoke which made them ill and caused irritation to the eyes. |
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Pollution causing
diseases Bathinda, November 10 Incidents like these are on the rise. Sources in the local Civil Hospital said the number of patients suffering from various eye diseases, allergies, cough, asthma and skin disorders had been rising. Due to a rise in the suspended particles, particularly the fine dust particles in air, the number of patients suffering from lung disorders has been rising. Patients of very young ages suffering from lung disorders have also been getting treatment in the various private hospitals of the city. Dr Gurjant Singh Sekhon, Deputy Medical Commissioner, said that the number of patients suffering from lung, skin, eye and various allergies had been rising due to pollution. No senior official of the Punjab Pollution Control Board was available for comments. Mr R. Venkatratnam, Deputy Commissioner, said officers had been directed to take necessary steps to reduce air pollution. |
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Need for cheaper medicines:
VC Amritsar, November 10 Mr Champak Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of the Human Resources Development Ministry, said information and bio-technology had revolutionised the field of bio-organics. The latest stream emerging in this direction was of genome technology. Consequently issues dealing with role of cholesterol, human genome and tuberculosis will be the focus of the meting. Dr K.N. Ganesh, Secretary of the Indian Society of Bio-organic Chemists and Dr Harjit Singh, a distinguished scientist and chairman of the local organising committee, said more than 70 young researchers would present their papers in poster session. |
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Rs 30 lakh for old age, widows’ pension Tarn Taran, November 10 Mr Kanjla presented a cheque of Rs 30 lakh to Mr Brahampura for pension to be given to the aged, widows, handicapped and others of the area. More than 2000 persons under this scheme were sanctioned pension at the function. Mr Kanjla addressing the rural gathering said that now these pensioners would be given pension every month regularly. The minister also assured sympathetic consideration of the demands of the Social Security Department. Cooperation Minister Brahampura also spoke on the occasion. |
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Badal distributes Rs 7 lakh Phagwara, November 10 He said that the much awaited road overbridge at the local Satnampura railway crossing would be constructed soon. He also gave papers for plot to 350 Dalits. Hundreds of people, including many sarpanches, joined the SAD on the occasion. Earlier, about 100 Congressmen and four Panthic Morcha leaders were arrested when they wanted to hold a black-flag protest against Mr Badal. |
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Woman’s fall on track proves fatal Bathinda, November 10 Volunteers of Shara Jan Seva (SJS) got her admitted in a local hospital where she succumbed to injuries. The Railway Police handed over the body to the family after postmortem examination. In another incident two persons were injured in an accident. Volunteers of Shara Jan Seva (SJS) got the injured admitted to the hospital. The injured have been identified as Mr Sajjan Singh and Mr Jagmail Singh admitted to the . Hospital authorities said that condition of Mr Sajjan Singh was serious. |
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SGPC voters’ enrolment date extended Gurdaspur, November 10 Meanwhile, Mr Sidhu who is also the District Magistrate, ordered the closure of hotels and dhabas latest by 11 p.m. till January 5, next year. |
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PPCC warns Centre on procurement New Delhi, November 10 Reacting to Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister Shanta Kumar’s statement about Centre’s intention to move out of the current process of procurement, Punjab Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh said in case the Centre withdrew from procurement, prices would crash and the farmers would be in a state of distress. Referring to the problems faced by the farmers, Capt Amarinder Singh, who was here in connection with the Punjab Coordination Committee meeting, said the number of suicides by farmers had been constantly rising during the rule of SAD-BJP government. Asked about the issues raised by Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, from whom an explanation had been sought by the Congress high-command, the PPCC president said the decision about the seat from which he would contest in the coming election would be decided by party President Sonia Gandhi. Referring to the Patiala constituency from where Capt Amarinder Singh intends to contest the next Assembly poll, Mr Brar had opposed the shifting of sitting MLAs from their traditional urban constituencies to rural ones.
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Curbs on sale of crackers Bathinda, November 10 In a press note issued here today he said the shopkeepers had been directed not to sell crackers at crowded place where no fire fighting system was available and where fire brigade vehicles could not reach. Mr Venkatratnam further said crackers could be used from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and it should be strictly more than 100 metres away from the filling stations educational institutes, hospitals, religious places and courts. |
District Science
Fair concludes Bathinda, November 10 Landmarks in science: secondary — Navreet Pal Singh, GSSS, Sivian; senior secondary — Sukhbir Kaur, GSSS, Killi Nihal Singh Wala. Energy: secondary — Rupinder Singh, Harkrishan Public School; senior secondary — Veena, GSSS, Killi Nihal Singh Wala; food and nutrition: secondary — Sumandeep Kaur, MSD, Bathinda; senior secondary — Jaskaran Singh, GSSS, Mandi Kalan; Environment management: secondary (urban) — Arshvir, St Xavier’s, Bathinda; senior secondary (urban) — Devinder, DAV, Bathinda; secondary (rural) — Amarinder Singh, GSSS, Nathana, senior secondary (rural) Rajinder Singh, GSSS, Sivian; Health and nutrition: secondary — Dipanshu, DAV, Bathinda, senior secondary — Meena Rani, GSSS, Killi Nihal Singh Wala; Transport and communication: secondary — Amit Jindal, MSD, Bathinda; senior secondary — Varinderjit Singh, Dashmesh Public, Talwandi Sabo; Science and technology for entertainment: secondary — Binder Singh, Government High School, Mirjrana; senior secondary — Lakhwinder Singh, Dashmesh Public, Talwani Sabo; Education and technology: secondary — Malkeet Singh, GHS, Dhapali; senior secondary — Isha, MSD, Bathinda; Quiz competition: Arun Aggarwal and Jaskirat Chahal, St Joseph, Bathinda; Chart making: Bhawna Gupta, MSD, Raman Mandi; Teachers teaching aids: Kavita Gupta, GGSSS, Sivian, and Extempore speech Ashok Mittal, GSSS, Killian Wali. |
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‘Need to introduce
technical education’ Dera Bassi, November 10 This statement was made by Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planning Minister of Punjab, while addressing a gathering on the 30th annual day celebrations of the Shivalik Bharti Senior Secondary School here today. There was a need to change education policies and introduce technical education in the country so that the students may be able to get self employment as well as in private sector, stressed the minister. PATIALA: The Punjab Government plans to spend Rs 10 lakh on each block in the state through social sevice units for the self employment, education and upliftment of women. This was stated by Capt. Kawaljeet Singh, while speaking at the regional resource centre at Banur. |
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Painting competition
held Amritsar, November 10 Group ‘A’ (Class I to V): Mrigant Sharma, DAV Public School — first; Sagar Nagpal, Manav Public School — second; and Palak Kapoor, Sacred Heart High School — third. Group ‘B’ (Class VI, VII and VIII): Rohit Khanna, DAV Senior Secondary School — first; Amrit Pal Singh, Red Roses School — second; and Shakah Gupta, Sacred Heart High School — third. Group ‘C’ (Class IX to X): George DAV Senior Secondary School — first; Gurlal Singh Gill, Khalsa College Senior Secondary School — second; and Upinder Singh, SSSS Senior Secondary School — third. Group ‘D’ (Plus one and two): Iqbal Gill, Khalsa College Senior Secondary School — first; Kavita Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kot Baba Deep Singh — second; and Rakesh, Khalsa Senior Secondary School — third. |
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