The Tribune – PPCB catches sugar mill releasing untreated water into Beas drain; Factory denies allegations, claims samples not collected from its premises

Bipin Bhardwaj, Tribune News Service

Mukerian (Hoshiarpur), December 2. Tightening a noose around those violating norms, a team of the Punjab Pollution Control Board raided the premises of a Mukerian-based sugar mill and found the unit allegedly discharging contaminated water into a drain that flows into the Beas.

Led by Environmental Engineer Jagdish Lal, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) team swung into action after several environmentalists brought the matter to the notice of Senior Environmental Engineer (Jalandhar) SP Garg.

The PPCB team raided the premises of Indian Sucrose Limited and collected samples of the effluents being discharged into the drain.

Confirming the action, Garg said the samples had been sent for chemical examination. He said, “The factory was caught discharging untreated waste into the drain in violation of norms. The unit could face closure if the samples test positive.”

Indian Sucrose Limited, however, denied the allegations. Unit’s assistance general manager Anil Sharma claimed that the PPCB team did not visit the mill’s premises and instead collected the samples from outside.

“We have all arrangements in place on the premises to treat industrial waste. Why will we discharge waste water into a natural drain when we have the treatment facility?” he reasoned.

A former member of Mukerian Municipal Council, Gurwinder Singh, alleged that earlier the unit used to discharge polluted water into the drain at night. But when their illegal act went unnoticed for several years, they started releasing the untreated effluents even during the day, he alleged.

“Apart from causing water pollution, the pungent smell emanating from the effluents has made the life of those residing in colonies downstream the drain miserable,” claimed Sulakhan Singh, president of Punjab Rajput Sabha.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121203/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – Declining interest in Punjabi; Experts blame it on schools

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 2. Even as a survey by the National Book Trust has revealed that Punjabi is dying as the preferred language for reading, experts blame the schools for the same. They say schools are promoting English at the cost of Punjabi. Also, there are only a few Punjabi writers who are taking up burning issues.

H S Bhatia, former Head of the Punjabi Department, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), said Punjabi was not directly linked with employment. The notion that English helped one scale new heights was wrong. “Look at countries like China and Japan which have given great importance to their mother-tongue and yet have progressed,” he remarked.

He said there was a dearth of Punjabi writers who had a grasp on burning issues and, hence, the decline in Punjabi writings.

Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha general secretary Talwinder Singh said Punjabi was not being accorded priority in schools. He alleged that the government was not sincere in promoting Punjabi which had been “wiped out” in Chandigarh. He said it was high time that Punjabi was made mandatory in all schools.

Rajinderpal Singh Brar, Head, Punjabi Department, Punjabi University, said the survey results were astounding in the light of a book fair organised by the National Book Trust in Bathinda recently, which had witnessed a record sale of books.

“The findings may be true of the urban Punjabi populace but those in rural areas like reading Punjabi books,” he maintained. Until Punjabi was given priority in school education, the language could not be promoted, he added.

Gursagar Singh from the Singh Brothers, a leading publishing house here, said Punjabi was not being given its due in public schools while government schools in the cities were in a bad shape.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121203/punjab.htm#13

The Hindu – Seek UN help for release of Prisoner of War, panel urges Centre

Jaspal Singh, in Oman jail, was taken prisoner in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war

Special Correspondent

Chandigarh, 3 December 2012. The National Commission for Minorities has decided to ask the Union government to use diplomatic channels and seek the United Nations Human Rights Council’s intervention to secure the release of Jaspal Singh, a sepoy of the Indian Army who has been languishing in a prison in Oman after being taken prisoner in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

Member of the commission, Ajaib Singh, talking to reporters here on Sunday, said he had already written to the Prime Minister, the UPA chairperson and the Defence Minister seeking the early release of Jaspal Singh. As he pursued the matter, it was revealed by the External Affairs Ministry that Pakistan had denied that Jaspal Singh was taken prisoner of war in 1971.

Dr. Ajaib Singh said the panel would now approach the Union government to seek the UNHRC intervention for Jaspal Singh’s release as well as inquire into how Jaspal Singh reached Oman.

Dr. Ajaib Singh, accompanied by by Jaspal Singh’s wife and son, Baljeet Kaur and Kamaljeet Singh, explained how the former Indian Army jawan was traced. He said one Sukhdev Singh, hailing from Baljeet Kaur’s paternal village in Ropar district, was working at the Masira Jail of Oman, where he met Jaspal Singh. Sukhdev Singh conveyed the news to Jaspal’s family this year, who have contacted the Sainik Welfare department, ex-servicemen associations and the Punjab government.

Baljeet Kaur recalls that she was just 24 years old and Kamaljeet three when the family received the news that Jaspal Singh, who was serving in the 15th Punjab regiment, died in combat in the Hussianiwala sector at the Ferozepur border. They had received all benefits provided by the government announced for the families of army personnel who died in the war.

Kamaljeet Singh, working in the State’s education department, is eager to see his father again. The family says the letters sent by them to various quarters had not evoked any response as yet.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/seek-un-help-for-release-of-pow-panel-urges-centre/article4157162.ece

17 till 27 August 2012 – Visit to London UK

22 August 2012 – Barking, London Overground, DMU to Gospel Oak

22 August 2012 – Barking, District Line, Underground to Upminster

22 August 2012, Barking Gurdwara

22 August 2012 – Barking Gurdwara, Divan Hall
Nanak Nám, Chardi Kalá Tere Bhane Sarbatt Dá Bhalá

Gurdwara Singh Sabha – London East
100 North Street
Barking, Essex IG11 8JD

The Gurdwara is easy walking distance from Barking Station

22 August 2012, Gallions Reach, DLR
From Barking I took a bus which took me to this DLR station by a less than direct route

To see more London Overground pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157614139538921/

To see more World and UK Gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/4304661200/in/set-72157611278213681

To see more Light Rail UK pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157626592461661/

More UK pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Menon in Beijing; Army chief reviews border security

Kolkata, December 2. On a day when National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon arrived in Beijing for carrying forward the border talks, Army Chief Generak Bikram Singh reviewed the operational preparedness of troops along the China border in the NorthEast.

“Eastern Army Commander Lt General Dalbir Singh Suhag briefed the Army Chief on the operational preparedness and the security scenario in the eastern region,” a defence spokesperson said. The Eastern Command is in-charge of securing the region east of Kolkata up to Arunachal covering boundary with China.

India is upgrading its defence preparedness along the eastern boundary by raising more troops, new formations and deploying more lethal assets such as the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

This was General Singh’s maiden visit to the Fort William-based Command headquarter since taking over as Army Chief on May 31, this year.

The visit follows his earlier visits to the three Corps headquarters under Eastern Command based at Sukna, Dimapur and Tezpur in recent months.

“It is virtually a homecoming,” said General Singh on arrival. Having commanded the Eastern Command for over two years, this is one formation that is very close to my heart,” he said.

As a mark of respect to former Prime Minister I K Gujral, who passed away on Friday, several planned social events were cancelled during the visit, the spokesperson said.

The Army Chief, who has so far addressed nearly 16,000 officers during his official visits to various formations and units across the country, including via video conferencing, addressed over 250 officers posted in and around Kolkata.

Sharing his vision to enhance operational effectiveness of the Army, he dwelt on some of the thrust areas that include effective fulfilment of the constitutional obligations and assigned roles, including force modernisation as per stipulated time lines.

General Singh also stressed on effective human resource management to ensure highest standards of motivation and morale.

“In my reckoning, unless these people are happy, the Army cannot be strong and happy. We cannot afford to ignore our ex-servicemen and ‘veer naris’ (war widows)” he said, while delving on various measures initiated for their welfare.

Menon in Beijing for talks

Beijing: In the first high-level Sino-India contact since the once-in-a-decade leadership change in the ruling CPC, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon arrived here on Sunday for wide-ranging talks on bilateral ties, including the vexed border issue.

During his three-days stay here, Menon would be meeting some of the new leaders elected during last month’s Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) to succeed the outgoing administration headed by President Hu Jintao.

There is no official announcement here about Menon’s schedule.

Besides holding talks with his counterpart and China’s top diplomat Dai Bingguo, who too would retire in March next year, Menon is expected to call on Vice Premier Li Keqiang, the number two leader in the seven-member new Standing Committee of the party headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, according to official sources.

Li is tipped to succeed Premier Wen Jiabao when he steps down in March after which a new administration headed by Xi, who would replace President Hu Jintao, would take over power formally.

The two officials designated as Special Representatives for the talks to resolve the border issue would review the progress achieved during the last 15 rounds of parleys and exchange views on a wide spectrum of bilateral relations, according to officials.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121203/main4.htm

BBC News – Norway court to rule on India ‘child abuse’ case

Monday, 3 December 2012. A court in Norway is due to rule in the case of an Indian couple arrested for allegedly abusing their child.

The couple is charged with “gross or repeated maltreatment” of the seven-year-old boy. The couple and their family deny the charges.

Chandrasekhar Vallabhaneni, a software professional, and his wife Anupama have been remanded in custody.

Mr Vallabhaneni had “threatened” to send the child to India for wetting his pants in the school bus, reports say.

Police in Norway have proposed a jail term of 15 months for the mother and 18 months for the father.

India has said the incident relates to a private citizen and Norway’s local laws, but added that its Norway mission will do whatever is “appropriate” in the case.

Indians have recently fallen foul of Norway’s strict parenting laws.

In April, two Indian children who were taken away from their parents finally returned to India after a Norwegian court agreed to hand them over to their uncle.

Norway’s Child Welfare Agency (CWA) had taken three-year-old Abhigyan and one-year-old Aishwariya Bhattacharya into custody in May 2011 alleging their parents did not adequately look after them.

The parents said that “cultural differences” were behind the agency’s decision and the incident caused a diplomatic row between Norway and India.

The case received extensive media attention in India and provoked public anger, with the Indian government saying that the children should be allowed to live in their own cultural and linguistic environment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20576810