SGPC: No heavy vehicles near Golden Temple

Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 17

To preserve the Golden Temples sheen, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the authorities concerned have adopted a slew of measures, including the deployment of electricity-operated four-wheelers. As a petition in public interest on preservation of Golden Temple came up for hearing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed that the electric four-wheelers had been deployed to ferry the sangat from Fawara Chowk to the Golden Temple. The High Court was also informed that the district transport officer had issued a notification banning the plying of more than 15-year-old vehicles in the vicinity. Plying of heavy vehicles, too, has been restricted. Their entry to the vicinity has been banned from 8am to 8pm. The SGPC had earlier suggested that the area around the Golden Temple should be declared a no-vehicle zone. It also told the High Court that the entry of heavy vehicles should be banned inside the walled city. The suggestion came during the hearing of a petition to ensure the Golden Temple did not lose its sheen to pollution. In its reply, the SGPC also made it clear that it proposed to give subsidy on liquefied petroleum gas for gurdwara langar to reduce the use of wood. The SGPC, in fact, recommended a ban on diesel, kerosene and petrol-operated autorickshaws in the area. As an alternative, it suggested the use of CNG or battery-operated rickshaws. It also recommended installation of smoke-control devices at the cremation grounds and factories in the city. It also suggested that a multi-storeyed parking should be constructed for heavy vehicles. The case will now come up for hearing on September 10. The effects of pollution on the Golden Temple had come under the judicial scanner about two years ago, with the Court calling for putting in place some mechanism to check pollution in the vicinity. Eco measures SGPC deploys battery-operated vehicles to ferry devotees from Phwara Chowk to the Golden Temple complex

District Transport Officer bans plying of more than 15-year-old vehicles in the shrines vicinity

Restricts plying of heavy vehicles

These are allowed to enter the temple vicinity between 8pm and 8am

Akal Takht to honour Sikh historian

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 17

The Akal Takht Jathedar will bestow the title of National Professor of Sikhism on Dr Kirpal Singh, an eminent historian and author of several books, including one on the Partition, early next week. "I have got a communication that a function in this regard will be held on January 21 at the Golden Temple," said Prof Kirpal Singh, who turned 90 recently. Even at this age, Prof Kirpal Singh spends six to eight hours daily to supervise the editing of Gurpartap Suraj Granth, 13 volumes of which have already been published and two are under print. The granth is one of the major sources of historical events during the period of the Sikh Gurus. Born in 1924 in Gujrawalan district, now in Pakistan, Dr Kirpal Singh, who was a founder of Oral History Department in Punjabi University, Patiala, has made a seminal contribution to the modern and medieval history of India.

4 of family feared dead as car falls into canal

Tribune News Service

Gurbhej Singh



Gagandeep Muktsar, January 17

Four members of a family from Kauni village are feared to have been killed with their car falling into the Rajasthan feeder canal near Bhullar village this afternoon.

Manraj

Gurvinder Gurbhej Singh (27), his wife Gagandeep Kaur (26), son Manraj Singh (5) and mother Gurvinder Kaur (52) were on their way to Muktsar. Manraj studied in a school in Muktsar. Eyewitnesses said the car went off the road as it tried to avoid a pothole. A pall of gloom descended on Kauni village as it received news of the tragedy. Angry residents blamed the district administration for the poor state of roads that had apparently caused the accident. A search operation has been launched, said sources.

Motorists using loud horns to face music

Tribune News Service Patiala, January 17

The Punjab Police have issued fresh instructions to all its District Commissioners to challan and arrest owners of vehicles, who have illegally fitted their vehicles with multi-toned horns. The state police have also ordered strict action against officers who fail to check commercial use of agricultural vehicles. Recently, the Supreme Court had ordered that multi-toned horns be removed by January 10, 2014. With the misuse of such vehicles increasing, the number of accidents has risen. The police have further ordered that strict compliance of the Central Motor Vehicles Act be ensured. It states that no motor vehicle, including agricultural tractor, will be fitted with any multi-toned horn or with any other device producing an unduly harsh shrill, loud or alarming sound will be allowed. Dinkar Gupta, Additional Director General of Police (DGP), Traffic, said he had issued directions to all district Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and Commissioners that those illegally using multi-toned horns would be penalised severely. A couple of months ago, a young girl had died in an accident in Patiala. She had lost control of her two-wheeler after a fire brigade vehicle blew a multi-toned horn.

CPM to contest four LS seats in state

Our Correspondent Ludhiana, January 17

The Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM) today claimed it would contest from four Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections. At a news conference, the CPM state secretary Charan Singh Virdi and secretariat member Vijay Mishra said the party would field its candidates from Ludhiana, Sangrur, Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar Lok Sabha seats. It also announced three of its candidates while stating the nominee from Jalandhar would be named later. They said Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon would contest from Ludhiana, Balbir Singh Jadla (Anandpur Sahib) and Joginder Singh Aulakh (Sangrur).

Tributes paid to Kuka martyrs

Tribune News Service Malerkotla, January 17

At a state-level function at Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak here, thousands of followers of the Namdhari sect and others today paid tributes to the Kuka martyrs. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Rajya Sabha MP, said the Kukas had played a significant role in the freedom movement. The Badal Government had set up martyrs memorials in various parts of the state so that the coming generations could know about their glorious past. Dhindsa gave Rs 10 lakh to the Namdhari Darbar for a meditation hall. Among those at the function were Satguru Uday Singh, SS Namdhari, Amargarh MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan and HS Gabria.

Travel agents told to pay licence fee

Agents agree to pay first installment between Jan 20 and Jan 31

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 17

Even as Home Affairs Principal Secretary DS Bains and Secretary Sameer Kumar today tried to convince travel agents to pay Rs 20,000 as the first installment of their licence fee, the latter sought clearance of the assured amendments in the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act. The officials, who were here to clarify agents doubts, got a counter put up with officials from a private bank for accepting cheques under a yet-to-be notified amendment (of allowing the licence fee of Rs 1 lakh to be deposited in a staggered five-year plan) of the Act. The agents also raised the issue that their petition against certain provisions was still pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Sameer Kumar kept asking the agents to get registered, but to no avail. On being asked as to how many agents had paid the installment, only one person responded in positive. Bains, who tried to convince representatives of travel companies by quoting the need for the enactment of law, said: All travel agents need to pay up today as goodwill gesture. If you think that the January 31 deadline would be extended, you are mistaken. The court has declared that the operational enactment has not been stayed. There are nearly 15,000 travel agents in Punjab and the government is planning to collect Rs 150 crore, Rs 1 lakh each, from those working for more than five years. Those into air ticketing business or working for less than five years, however, have been asked to pay Rs 25,000 (Rs 10,000 in the first installment and the remaining amount in subsequent four years). The agents said they would deposit the amount between January 20, the day when the Cabinet would meet, and January 31, the last date to deposit the first installment. At this, Bains said the additional deputy commissioners would hold camps from January 26 to 31 in their respective districts to collect fee.

token money

Rajindra Hospital shifts 5 employees

Tribune News Service Patiala, January 17

A day after The Tribune reported that the staff at Rajindra Hospital allegedly demanded badhai (token money) from families, whose children were born in the hospital, the authorities shifted five employees. Deputy MS Dr Harshinder Kaur said Urmila, ward attendant in the nursery ward; Gurjit Kaur, ward attendant in the labour room; Sonu, sweeper in the labour room; Rampal, ward attendant in the anesthesia ward; and Rani, Sulabh worker, confessed to have taken money from patient Gurmeet Kaur. The money was returned, she said. The Principal Secretary, Medical Education had ordered an inquiry, Dr Kaur added.

PU nod to research centres at colleges

Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 17

The Panjab University has decided that the affiliated colleges that fulfil the norms laid down for setting up research centres would be allowed to do so. With the setting up of these centres, research fellows, who get enrolled for an M.Phil or a PhD, could complete their course work at one of the research centres. They can even opt for supervisors appointed at these research centers. Sources said out of 188 affiliated colleges of Panjab University, 30 have already applied to set up research centers in humanities, social sciences and medical fields. A team from the university has already inspected some of these colleges. After the inclusion of fresh norms, the university team will again examine these colleges before giving their approval to set up the centres. In a recent syndicate meeting, a panel was constituted under the supervision of Professor Karamjeet Singh and syndics Dilip Kumar and Dinesh Talwar to discuss the details of the project. Kumar said the colleges had been demanding that such centres be set up on their premises for a while now. As per the norms, eight students can enrol with one guide. However, several fellows could not do research due to shortage of guides/ supervisors.

Three lakh youth yet to get registered as voters in state

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 17

Of 1.92 crore voters registered in Punjab till January 1, the number of NRI voters stands at 129. However, political leaders believe that NRIs wield lot of influence in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state. One of the reasons behind the SAD-BJP government employing all means to win the support of NRIs, who influence elections mainly in the Doaba region, is said to be the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Only 4.85 lakh youth aging between 18 and 19 years make it to the registered voters list against the projected population of 11.25 lakh. Election Commission officials have inferred that there are nearly 3 lakh more youngsters yet to be registered as voters in Punjab. The projected population in the 50-59 age group is 22.32 lakh, but the registered voters are 27.19 lakh and in the 60-69 age group, against the project population of 14.40 lakh, the registered voters number stands at 16.58 lakh. There is a mismatch in the projected population in census of certain age groups and the number of registered voters, an official said. However, on the basis of an analysis of all age groups, it has been estimated that nearly 3 lakh eligible voters of young age group are yet to get enrolled as voters, the official said. The number of voters, as compared to the last elections, has gone up by 7.81 lakh. All voter lists carry photographs of the voter concerned, but of 1.92 crore voters, names of 34 voters do not carry a photograph on the voter list, it is learnt. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer is busy in preparing for the Lok Sabha elections for which a notification is likely to be issued in the last week of February or in the beginning of March. Efforts are being made to stack the adequate number of EVMs before the election dates are announced. Sources said about 10,000 EVMs were locked in various court cases and efforts were being made to get them released. Around 35,000 EVMs are required for polling in the state. Sources said the state government had been asked to keep ready a list of senior officials who had served at one station for more than three years. Usually, such officials are transferred to other stations before elections. Besides, civil and police officials posted in their home districts are normally shifted to other places. Chief Electoral Officer Raminder Singh said the voters lists had been put on the website and had also been given to various civil officials for display at the public notice boards in front of their offices. The 'mismatch' Of 1.92 crore voters registered in Punjab till January 1, the number of NRI voters stands at 129

Only 4.85 lakh youth aging between 18 and 19 years make it to the registered voters' list against the projected population of 11.25 lakh

Traffic education to be part of school syllabus: Maluka

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

From left: Hoshiarpur SSP Dr Narinder Bhargav, Education Minister SS Maluka, former minister Arunesh Shakar and DC Tanu Kashyap in Hoshiarpur on Friday. A Tribune photograph

Hoshiarpur, January 17

Even as the Hoshiarpur police have shown the way by involving hundreds of students and teachers of over 500 schools in the district in its massive traffic awareness campaign, Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka today said the Education Department would include traffic education in the school curriculum. He hoped that this would curb road accidents. He was speaking at a traffic awareness workshop organised by the Hoshiarpur police here today. The minister said: Traffic rules cannot be imposed on the people. So the best way to make them abide by the rules is to introduce traffic education in schools, he told The Tribune. The Education Minister blamed the VIP culture in the state for the violation of traffic rules. Politicians and children of influential persons are much to blame. They think that they can get away with any violation and if any policeman dares to stop them, they can get him transferred. This attitude is an impediment to implementing traffic rules, Maluka said. The district police, he said, had initiated a novel campaign by involving students of more than 500 schools and members of 1,250 panchayats to sensitise the people on traffic rules. Taking a cue from the police, the department now planned to introduce traffic education and safety in the school curriculum, the minister said. We have involved all sections of society, but the focus is on students who can be catalysts of change, said Hoshiarpur Senior Superintendent of police (SSP) Dr Narinder Bhargav. Deputy Commissioner Tanu Kashyap exhorted parents not to allow their under-aged wards to drive any vehicle. The minister flagged off a students rally organised at the Zila Parishad Grounds by the Transport Department.

Booth to be set up to check polio from Pak

Our Correspondent Fazilka, January 17

The Punjab Health Department has decided to set up a special booth at the Attari check post for the screening of Pakistani children to ensure that polio virus does not rear its head again in the country. India has become a polio-free country, while Pakistan is still struggling to eradicate the disease. A three-day state-level pulse polio campaign will be launched from Fazilka on January 19. Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani said here today that during the campaign, 37.69 lakh children between the age of 0 and 5 years would be administered polio drops. Nearly 15,000 booths will be set up. In all, 30,000 teams of the Department in association with schoolchildren and NGOs have been constituted. A follow-up round would be held on February 23.

School principals resent move to shift male staff

Tribune News Service Muktsar, January 16

A delegation of government teachers today met Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at Tarmala village in the district and expressed their displeasure at an Education Departments decision to shift male staff from girls schools. The teachers told the chief minister that the decision had put the school principals in a tight spot. Principals said it would become difficult for them to run the schools smoothly as there were certain tasks that were assigned to male staff only. The Chief Minister said he would ask for a reply from higher officials in this regard. The department decided to shift male teacher from the girls schools, citing safety of girl students as the reason. The construction in schools is managed with the help of schools teachers and management committees. It does not sound nice if I ask a female teacher to deal with masons and labourers, said Neelam Bala, Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Muktsar. Another Principal Baljeet Kaur said, Last year, a girl of my school came in contact with an electricity wire. Had there not been male teachers, the girl would not have survived. She was rushed to hospital, 18 km away from the school, in a few minutes by male teachers.