The Tribune – Book on Bhagat Singh’s notes written in jail to be released

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 4. Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s family members have over the years carefully preserved notes written by him in jail in late 1920s. “I am compiling a book of these notes which will soon be released by the President of India,” said Yadvinder Singh Sandhu, grandson of Bhagat Singh’s younger brother Kulbir Singh.

“The compilation work has already been done. We will publish a scanned copy of original notes on one page and text on the opposite page in the book”, said Yadvinder Singh, whose face resembles Bhagat Singh’s.

“The compilation in book form had some flaws and printing errors. We are trying to remove these to have an improved publication,” he said, speaking to mediapersons here today.

The compilation also has some exclusive childhood photos of Bhagat Singh and his immediate family. As Bhagat Singh, who was in his early 20s when he attained martyrdom in 1931, was a well-read person, he penned down his thoughts on diverse subjects in the jail. He wrote about revolution, child labour, economic and social issues and his close compatriots involved in the fight for freedom.

“Our family has original handwritten notes and other belongings, which were handed over to the martyr’s father Kishan Singh after his (Bhagat Singh’s) execution”, said Yadvinder Singh.  

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The Tribune – Trains to chug on new Chandigarh-Ludhiana link from tomorrow

Aarti Kapur, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17. After a wait of 12 years, the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link will finally be made operational from April 19. The first train from Chandigarh to Amritsar via Ludhiana using the new track will shorten the journey from Chandigarh to Ludhiana by half an hour. Earlier, the journey between the two cities via Sirhind used to take two hours.

The train from Chandigarh will now pass through Mohali, Kharar, Junction Morinda, New Morinda, Khamano, Samrala, Lallkalan, Sahnewal and Dhandar before reaching Ludhiana. Divisional railway manager PK Sangi said the department had received a communication to advance the departure from Chandigarh to 5.30 pm from 6.50 pm.

He said the department was yet to receive the copy of the safety certificate from the Chief Commissioner of Rail Safety (CCRS) but was expected to be received by tomorrow.

As the timing of the train has been revised, the passengers who have already booked their tickets will be informed through telephone, text messages and notices, which will be put up at the railway station and reservation counters.

The Chandigarh-Ludhiana link was announced in the Union Railway Budget of 2000. The work on the project was started by Northern Railway in 2001 but due to fund delays and operational hurdles, the work remained held up. Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had announced that the link would be made operational by March 31.

The project had been divided into three phases. The 45-km first phase from Chandigarh to New Morinda via Mohali and Kharar was completed in 2006. Trains like the Amritsar Duronto and the Jan Shatabdi were already running on this section. The 14-km third phase from Sahnewal to Ludhiana was completed in November, 2012. The 51-km second phase between New Morinda and Sahnewal has now been completed.

2000: The Chandigarh- Ludhiana link cleared in the Union Railway Budget

2001: Work begins on the project

2006: First phase from Chandigarh to New Morinda completed. Trains like the Amritsar Duronto and the Jan Shatabdi were already running on this section

Nov, 2012: Third phase from Sahnewal to Ludhiana completed

April, 2013: The 51-km second phase between New Morinda and Sahnewal has now been completed

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The Tribune – Plan on track to revamp railways: Bansal

Aarti Kapur, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 18. The Indian Railways will have a new face in the near future with Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal conceptualising a number of innovative plans for its expansion and renovation.

Interacting with The Tribune, Bansal said the country would require 33,000 more railway coaches over the next five years. The present number was 51,000.

To meet the demand, the ministry was planning to set up more rail coach factories in the country. He said the Haryana Government had recently offered land in the state to set up a coach factory and the railway officials were evaluating the feasibilities of the area proposed by the state.

Passengers’ safety was on top of the agenda and the railways planned to spend Rs 1.10 lakh crore on improving their safety in the next five years, the minister added.

A proposal to set up a railway Information Technology unit in Chandigarh was also in the pipeline. The railways had around 700 acres at its disposal in the city.

He said officials were working on the possibility of installing railway signal link and anti-collision devices here.

On improving the standard of food being served in trains, Bansal said they proposed to set up mini pantries in coaches. These pantries will have the provision for refrigeration and microwave oven to preserve and serve hot food.

In a bid to improve the quality of food, the ministry had chalked out a plan to set up state-of-the-art base kitchens at stations. The railways would allocate land to contractors to set up the kitchens, from where food would be served to the commuters in trains.

He said the railways was unable to provide mineral water bottles in all trains since only 6.50 lakh bottles were being supplied to it per day as against the requirement of 28 lakh bottles.

This problem would be resolved with the setting up of base kitchens at railway stations, the minister said.

Bansal said to reduce rail accidents on unmanned railway crossings, the ministry proposed to construct overpasses, for which 10 states had already given their concurrence to share 50 per cent of the construction cost.

He said there were 32,000 level crossings in the country, of which 18,000 were manned and 14,000 unmanned.

The ministry had recently mooted a proposal to permit the construction of overpasses at level crossings after conducting a survey of rail traffic on such sections. The ministry and the state would bear 50 per cent of the construction cost.

Bansal said instructions had been issued to all states seeking new tracks in their area to share the construction cost of the tracks besides providing land for the same.

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The Tribune – Another Chandigarh-Amritsar express on cards, says Bansal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 17. Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has said that the second Chandigarh-Amritsar express was on the cards. Speaking to The Tribune here, Bansal said the Railway Ministry had, after analysing the demands of the residents of both the cities, decided to start the train from Chandigarh to Amritsar in the morning and from Amritsar to Chandigarh in the evening.

The Union Minister said the train will get on track after a survey by the Railways. He said the residents had since long been demanding a return train from Amritsar to Chandigarh. Also, he said the train will have a stoppage in Mohali, which was another pending demand of the residents.

About running a third Shatabdi between Chandigarh and Delhi, he said officials had proposed starting the train at 10 am and reverting it back in the evening at 7 pm.

On launching new trains in the region, he said the Ministry would take up the proposal after the completion of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana track where trial run would commence soon. Bansal said work on giving a facelift to the Chandigarh railway station was being undertaken. “In next three months, the station will have a food plaza, four accelerators and a lift, especially for specially abled and senior citizens,” he said.

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The Tribune – Cabinet approves policy for renewable energy resources; Share of new sources to be raised to 10% of total installed power capacity

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22. The Punjab Cabinet, at a meeting today, approved the enactment of the “New and Renewable Sources of energy (NRSE) Policy- 2012″

The policy is aimed at maximising the share of new and renewable sources of energy to 10 per cent of the total installed power capacity in the State by the year 2020 besides promoting renewable energy initiatives for meeting energy needs.

The policy will focus on creating conducive conditions to woo private sector investments in NRSE projects along with broader participation by public by giving a slew of incentives in terms of 100 per cent electricity duty, exemption from VAT and entry tax on equipment/machinery for the setting up of NRSE power plants, exemption from stamp duty, registration fee, Change of Land Use (CLU) fee and External Development Charges.

The Cabinet decided that entrepreneurs keen on setting up NRSE projects would be provided with the single-window facility through the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), the nodal agency for implementation of such projects.

The interested entrepreneurs and investors would be eligible for all incentives under the Mega Projects and Industrial Policy. The policy would focus to generate nearly 400 MW power through non-conventional and renewable sources by 2017. It would also be instrumental in bridging the gap between demand and supply besides ensuring quality power to consumers at affordable rates.

The Cabinet also approved the creation of a land pool for setting up a “Tourism Destination” in an area comprising Haider Nagar, Garcha, Selkiana, Sekhuwal, Garhi, Machian Kalan, Mattewara and other surrounding areas of Ludhiana district besides consolidating this land under the Public Works Department (B&R) on a public, private partnership (PPP) or any other mode. The Cabinet approved the transfer of ownership of 33 markets (mandis) of the erstwhile PEPSU State to respective municipal committees.

The Cabinet also approved regularising the services of 19 Law Officers in the Punjab Police from the date of completion of three years of service.These officers were appointed in 2009 on contract to impart legal training to officers/employees within and outside the state at Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, and the Police Recruitment Training Centre, Jahan Kehlan.

To ensure that the Punjab Civil Service (Executive Branch) and allied services exam was held on time by the Punjab Public Service Commission, the Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to the amendment made in the Punjab State Civil Services appointment and examination rules, 2009, under which the syllabus and procedure can be modified by the commission after the approval of the state government.

To boost the civil aviation industry and tourism, the Cabinet also approved amendment in the Schedule “B” of the Punjab VAT Act, 2005, slashing VAT to 5.5 per cent (plus 10 per cent surcharge) on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) supplied to the scheduled and non-scheduled airlines operating at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda and Pathankot airports.

The Cabinet decided to delete Clause 20 of the auction notification regarding the mining of gravel and sand. The entire process would take place through e-auction and no mine would be sub-divided into blocks for the purpose of mining.

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The Tribune – Show is on: Bhatti’s film premieres day after his death

Vivek Gupta, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 26. The king of comedy and spoof, Jaspal Bhatti, got a standing ovation as soon as he appeared on screen during a special premiere on the opening day of his movie “Power Cut” at a multiplex this evening.

As soon as he appeared in his usual comical attire on screen, his family members and fellow artistes, including wife Savita Bhatti, son Jasraj Bhatti, Gurdas Maan, Bhagwant Mann, Harbhajan Mann, Gupreet Singh Ghuggi, Jasbir Jassi and others, gave him a standing ovation followed by cheering from the packed audience.

An emotional Savita said she did not want to cry for her late husband who continued to be her strength.

“I am in a different state of mind as I watch his movie, which was his dream project. I will not even dare use past tense for him. He will always remain my friend, philosopher and guide. He will always be around us,” said Savita while putting up a brave face before the media.

Jasraj, who made his debut with this movie, said it took them just a minute to decide about holding the premiere, which was cancelled yesterday after his sudden death.

“This movie was his dream project. Though he is not with us today, his memories and legacy will always remain with us. We will keep alive his passion for meaningful comedy,” he said.

The movie hit cinema halls at 29 locations across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu, besides release in Canada and Australia.

Rajan Batra of Batra Films, Jalandhar, distributors of the movie in the local market, said though the film’s booking remained slow on opening day, it was expected to pick up by word of mouth. Around 25% booking was registered in domestic market, he said. Those who saw the movie were visibly enthralled. Surinder Singh Dhillion, 22, an MBA student from Chandigarh, said like his earlier movies, this movie gave people sensible and meaningful comedy while highlighting the problem of power outages and corruption.

Kuldeep Singh (67), a retired PSEB chief engineer, said seeing Jaspal Bhatti on screen was an emotional moment for him. “I can’t believe he is no longer with us. His message in the movie was subtle, yet it gave us a reason to introspect.” Arun Mahajan, another moviegoer, said he had bought six tickets for his family to pay their tribute to the man who made them laugh for years. “Jaspal Bhatti was at his best in the movie. Playing a ‘marasi’, he highlighted the working of Punjab’s electricity department in his usual satirical way. His witty one-liners, as always, made the crowd laugh through the movie.”

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The Tribune – High Court halts construction around Sukhna; Jolt for Tata’s Camelot project, others as court moves to save Chandigarh’s skyline

Saurabh Malik. Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 14. Tata Camelot’s ambitious plan to raise skyscrapers in the vicinity of Sukhna Lake has run into another legal hurdle. Taking up the Save Sukhna case, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Punjab, Haryana and the Chandigarh Administration to not just stop construction activity in the lake’s catchment area, but also demolish, without notice, any construction being carried out against the high court mandate.

“We direct Punjab and Haryana as well as the Chandigarh Administration to put their enforcement agencies in action and construction activities going on in the catchment area as per the map of the Survey of India should be stopped immediately; and any construction raised in violation of the directions issued by the court be demolished without issuing any notice,” the Bench of Acting Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Alok Singh ruled. The development is significant as the Survey of India map says Camelot project is in the catchment area.

The high court has already taken on record the map prepared by the Survey of India defining the catchment area falling in Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana. As per the map, villages of Kaimbwala and Khuda Alisher in Chandigarh, Nayagaon and part of Kansal in Punjab and parts of Saketri and Mahadevpur in Haryana form part of the catchment area. The Camelot site, located in Kansal village, falls in the Sukhna catchment area.

Otherwise also, amicus curiae or friend of the court Tanu Bedi has all along been insisting that Tata Camelot housing project would affect the fragile catchment area of the lake.

Going into the background of the controversy, the Bench asserted: “In the order dated March 14, 2011, directions were issued to restore the old glory of the lake by observing that no housing colony or building activity took place in the catchment area, either within the forest area or agriculture area. We have been apprised that despite the direction, construction activities are going on….

“Both the states, as well as the UT, shall submit their report with regard to the violation of the directions issued in the order dated March 14 last year and the action taken against the violators”.

The Bench asserted that the minutes of a meeting on the Save Sukhna issue reveal that the Survey of India map has been accepted in principle by the UT Administration.

But Punjab has adopted an “unacceptable attitude and is still making submissions that the map is unacceptable”.

The Bench added the state had endorsed the authenticity of the map during the proceedings of another petition. “Now, it cannot go back on the stand taken,” the Bench ruled.

The Bench further observed that it did not feel the necessity of experts’ sub-committee to prepare a fresh map. “The Administration shall give wide publicity to the catchment areas as depicted in the map prepared by the Survey of India and adopted by the UT Administration as the map of the catchment area so that the general public is made aware that no construction is permitted in the area,” the Bench concluded.

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The Tribune – Restore Wakf Board to earlier form: Jamait

Chandigarh, May 6. The Jamait-e-Ulma Hind has demanded restoration of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Wakf Board to its earlier form that existed before 2003.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Hazrat Maulana Arshad Madni, Jamait president, said the way Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal was advocating single Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for Punjab and Haryana, the Jamait also wanted that all these states be brought under single Wakf Board to effectively deal with problems of the Muslim community.

He demanded that instead of giving land for education and religious purposes on lease, the government should permanently transfer land in the name of the organisations concerned. He also demanded that encroachments on places related to the community be dismantled and further encroachments be checked.

He said in 2009, the Centre Wakf Board directed that the Punjab Wakf Board be reconstituted on the old pattern by bringing the boards of Punjab, Haryana, HP and Chandigarh under one umbrella. (TNS)

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The Tribune – Beant Singh assassin Hawara attacked in Chandigarh court

Rajinder Nagarkoti, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 11. Exposing chinks in the police security of late Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassins, a group of right wing activists today attacked dreaded Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara on the premises of the district courts in Sector 17 here.

The attack occurred around 11 am while Hawara and the other convicted assassin Paramjit Singh Bheora were being escorted by a posse of the Chandigarh and Delhi police to the courtroom in connection with a Burail jailbreak case. Both convicts had been specially brought here from the Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

Eyewitnesses said just as Hawara crossed the entry gate of the court complex, Nishant Sharma, an Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti (ABHSS) activist, hit him with his head. Hawara responded by slapping Sharma. The police immediately arrested Sharma and three other ABHSS activists.

The incident was followed by Hawara and Bheora raising pro-Khalistan slogans and the ABHSS members raising patriotic slogans.

Following the attack, a large police contingent was deployed on the court premises.

Both Hawara and Bheora were then taken to the courtroom where DSP Jagbir Singh and Sub-Inspector Surinder Kumar, both from the Chandigarh Police, recorded their statements.

Hawara’s advocate Simarjit Singh was quick to term the incident as a serious breach of security along with the claim that the attack had been planned well in advance. Sector 17 police station SHO Inspector Ranjodh Singh said they had registered an FIR and arrested seven persons, including Nishant Sharma.

Incidentally, Sharma is a complainant against PS Sandhu, an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of the Punjab Police in a corruption case being investigated by the CBI.

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The Tribune – Makkar to be back as SGPC chief

Naveen S Garewal, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21. Avtar Singh Makkar is set to be the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the seventh time. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) that swept the SGPC poll in alliance with the Sant Samaj has decided not to make any change at the top in the apex body of the Sikhs.

Highly placed sources told The Tribune that contrary to speculations about a change in the president of the SGPC, the party had decided to repeat Makkar who remained by and large acceptable and non-controversial even after serving the mini parliament of the Sikhs for six terms. This puts to an end the suspense over the change in guards.

Although the election results were declared on the day of the polling (September 18), the Gurdwara Election Commission (GEC) would officially notify these on Thursday. After the notification, the same would be conveyed to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, who would then invite all elected members to the SGPC headquarters.

According to sources in the SAD, despite the victory of many stalwarts and past presidents in the recently held poll, there was never any serious thinking about a change. It was earlier stated that the possibility of Tota Singh, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Sucha Singh Langha, Kiranjot Kaur and Sewa Singh Sekhwan of heading the SGPC could not be ruled out.

As per the procedure laid down in the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, the first meeting of the SGPC will be presided over by the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, who will register all the newly elected members and constitute the general house of the SGPC. The Jathedars of the five Takhts and the Head Granthi of the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) would also be part of the general house as its ex-officio members.

The general house will have 191 members, including 170 members elected by Keshdhari voters and six ex-officio members. The remaining 15 members will be co-opted by the elected members before the election of the president.

Once the SAD leadership, led by its president, makes its opinion known to the newly elected members of the SGPC, it is expected that Makkar will be elected unopposed. The SAD leadership has in the past thrown up surprises while electing the president, but sources in the party said this time, the decision was left to the top echelons, who decided to give Makkar yet another go.

Makkar, a Badal family loyalist, hails from Ludhiana and is seen as an urban face of the Sikhs. After the last elections, SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal had promoted Makkar to counter the growing influence of pro-Congress Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee (DGMC) leader Paramjit Singh Sarna among urban Sikhs.

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