Major General Somnath Jha (retd)

Ahmedabad, March 6

A retired Army officer is cycling across the country to pay homage to the defence personnel who laid down their lives for the nation.Major General Somnath Jha (retd) decided to pay homage to each of the around 21,000 Armed Forces personnel, who have lost their life since Independence, by cycling for two minutes for each of them.Jha’s last posting was at Ambala Cantonment, from where he retired in September last year. He spent nearly 37 years in the Army.“I decided to travel across the nation by pedalling two minutes for each of the 21,000 martyrs, thereby travelling for 42,000 minutes across most parts of the country,” Maj Gen Jha, who is currently stationed in Gandhinagar, said.Jha said so far he has covered 30,500 minutes and plans to cover another 11,500-odd minutes by the end of April.While Jha is riding solo, he is being provided logistics support by a team of seven, including his wife Chitra, who are accompanying him on a car. — PTI

Punjab CM urges people of Delhi to finish off AAP and not trust BJP

CHANDIGARH: For Congress, Captain Amarinder Singh is the new “gladiator”, at least where ever Punjabis are. A day after the first session of 15th Punjab assembly came to an end on Wednesday, the Punjab chief minister reached the national capital to campaign for the party in the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls.

AJAY AGGARWAL/HTDelhi Congress chief Ajay Maken (left) and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh at an event in New Delhi on Thursday

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken had invited Amarinder — credited for party’s landslide victory in Punjab elections — to woo voters on the Sikh-dominated seats.

As Amarinder reached Delhi on Thursday evening, party’s Delhi unit hosted a grand reception for him on Subhash Nagar Road with slogans — “Punjab mein baazi maari hai, ab Dilli ki baari hai (We have conquered Punjab, now it is Delhi’s turn)”.

Wiped out of Delhi in state elections of 2015, the Congress is banking on Amarinder to halt the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) juggernaut after its chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal faced poll reverses in Goa and Punjab. The Congress has also to counter an emboldened BJP, which has formed the government in all other four states that went to polls in February, barring Punjab.

“The people of Punjab have defeated Kejriwal’s nefarious designs and it was now the turn of the people of Delhi to finish off whatever is left of the AAP leader in the coming MCD elections,” Amarinder said while addressing a civic reception organised at Subhash Nagar in West Delhi.

The Punjab CM also warned the people of Delhi against trusting the BJP with their votes, pointing out that the BJP was an ally of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab and together they had looted the small state, leaving it with a huge debt of ₹1.82 lakh crore.

The Punjab CM will also call on Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is back after her medical treatment abroad and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Amarinder is l ikely to take up the appointment of new Punjab Congress chief with the Gandhis in the meeting. The post has fallen vacant after Amarinder took over as the CM. He is likely to return to Chandigarh on Sunday after two-day campaign.

AFTER PSPCL, PIDB ON CAPT’S AGENDA

The CM will chair a meeting of Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) on Monday after returning from Delhi MC poll campaign. Though the CM is its chairman, the board had funded the urban and rural missions of former deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and in words of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal, even PIDB’s future earnings have been mortgaged. The overhaul of the board is next on agenda of the new government after the state cabinet amended rules to bring a new chairmancum-managing director (CMD) of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) by making the terms of Sukhbir-appointed CMD KD Chaudhri untenable.

60 security personnel, 24 youths injured in Budgam; holed-up ultra killed

Kashmiri youths throw stones at paramilitary forces close to the encounter site at Chadoora in Budgam on Tuesday. Mohd Amin War

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 28

Three youths were today killed and more than 24 injured when the security forces opened fire on protesters in Budgam district. Even as an encounter was underway, a large number of youths from surrounding areas marched towards the encounter site to help a Hizbul militant holed up inside a three-storey house in Durbugh Chadoora. They attacked the security personnel with stones, triggering violent clashes.Nazir Choudhary, Medical Superintendent of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), said three youths were “brought dead”. One of them, Zahid Rashid (23), was the sole bread-earner of the family. He had a bullet in the neck. Qaiser Ahmed Ganai (23) of Wathoora was hit in the abdomen. The third victim was identified as Ishfaq Rashid of Rangreth. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“We showed maximum restraint as crowds tried to come close to the encounter site. Our 40 men and 20 policemen were injured in the clashes,” said Inspector General (CRPF) Ravideep Singh Sahi. The killings, about two weeks ahead of the byelections to the Srinagar-Budgam and Anantnag parliamentary constituencies,  have triggered fresh tension in the Valley with the separatists calling for a shutdown on Wednesday.A gunbattle erupted in Durbugh Chadoora, 20 km from Srinagar, this morning when acting on a tip-off, the police, Army and CRPF launched a joint search operation. They were fired upon by a Hizbul militant hiding inside a house. The forces used explosives and fired rockets to raze the house. “In the gunfight, the militant was killed and a weapon was recovered from the encounter site,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. He said the operation, that lasted nine hours, had ended. Sources said an Army jawan had been injured in the gunfight.   The slain militant, Tausuef Ahmed of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, had been active in the area since October last. He was an associate of senior Hizbul commander Yaseen Yatoo.

Major General Somnath Jha (retd) reached Amritsar while cycling through different states on Monday. photo: sunil kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 27

He hung his boots last year when he retired from service, but the adventure didn’t stop for the 59-year-old Major General Somnath Jha. In his unique way, paying homage to the fallen heroes of Indian Armed Forces, he took a journey on cycle, pedaling across 26 states, covering roughly 9,500 km in 160 days. All geared up, he reached Amritsar early this afternoon, as he shared the passion behind his unusual journey.“My expedition is about remembering the martyrs as I cycle for two minutes for every fallen hero. According to an estimate, we have 21,000 martyrs, so that means I have set myself up for cycling 42,000 minutes, out of which I have competed 38,000 minutes already. I started my journey from Ambala Cantonment on 19th October 2016 and will probably complete in on 19th April at Amar Jawan Jyoti in New Delhi,” he said.Travelling across 26 states, Punjab being the 26th, the three states he will pedal through next are Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Covering the length and breadth of the country, he says that his motive is to not miss even a single state. “We have martyrs from all across these states, so I wanted to do this without missing out on my original route plan.” While he is happy to wear his passion for his country on his sleeve, fatigue and injury do not bother him much. “I have served my country for so long that these things don’t matter. I plan to compete my journey in time that is within these 23 days left.”

Siropa to Capt: Badungar’s statement stirs up debate

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 25

The announcement by SGPC Chief Kirpal Singh Badungar to felicitate Capt Amarinder Singh with siropa upon his visit to the Golden Temple has left political circles bemused. Sikh intellectuals and organisations call it political opportunism. The Chief Minister is expected to visit the holy city next month.Earlier, he was denied siropa during his visit to the Golden Temple after becoming the Chief Minister in 2002. It had evoked a sharp reaction after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, then headed by Gurcharan Singh Tohra, denied him siropa.In response, some of the officials of the SGPC had reasoned that he was denied siropa as he used to colour his beard against the Sikh tenets. “It confuses common people whether the earlier stand was right or the present one,” said All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Karnail Singh Peermohammad. He said the SGPC chief needed to review his decision.“Capt Amarinder Singh is a good person, but the SGPC should not give him siropa as his party was involved in the military attack on the Golden Temple and anti-Sikh riots of 1984,” he said. He said the CM must apologise for the misconduct of his party.Manjit Singh Calcutta, who had been the general secretary of the SAD and the SGPC for nearly 25 years, alleged that the decision to give siropa to the CM was politically motivated. He said the four doors of the Golden Temple were opened for followers of all faiths and politics should not influence the decisions of the SGPC in running the affairs of the Sikh shrine.Former Jathedar of Damdami Taksal, Giani Kewal Singh said, “There should not be any discrimination in granting siropa in the Sachkhand (sanctum sanctorum) of the Golden Temple.” He demanded the formulation of a code of conduct to felicitate dignitaries visiting the Golden Temple. However, he added, the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct) must be followed while felicitating people at the Akal Takht where only Sikhs could be honoured.

Politics over religious honour

• Capt Amarinder Singh was denied siropa during his visit to the Golden Temple after becoming the Chief Minister in 2002. It had evoked a sharp reaction.
• As SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar recently said that Capt would be be honoured with siropa when he would visit the Golden Temple. The CM’s visit is expected in the coming month.
• “It confuses common people whether the earlier stand was right or the present one,” said All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Karnail Singh Peermohammad. Similarly, Manjit Singh Calcutta alleged that Badungar’s decision was politically motivated.

Four killed as Orbit bus, car collide in Barnala

File photo for representational purpose only.

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, March 25

Two nambardars, a village panchayat member and a former panchayat member from Ghunas village in Barnala district were killed when the Santro car in which they were travelling collided with an Orbit bus this morning. The accident took place near their village on the Barnala-Bathinda road. The deceased were identified as nambardars Sukhjit Singh and Bahadur Singh, panchayat member Jagga Singh and former panchayat member Hardev Singh. The car driver, Jagtar Singh, was critically injured.“The speeding Orbit bus was on its way to Barnala from Bathinda,” said former sarpanch Gurmukh Singh.The bodies were extricated from the car with cutters. The police arrested the bus driver, Darshan Singh of Dhade village in Bathinda district, and impounded the vehicle. Fearing that the crowd may damage the bus, cops took it to the DSP’s office at Tapa.A case was registered against Darshan under Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or safety of others) of the IPC. “We are conducting an investigation,” said Surinder Kumar, DSP.

CM to review prison security next week

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

Taking a serious view of the violence in Gurdaspur central jail, CM Captain Amarinder Singh has convened a high-level meeting of police and Home Department officials next week to review the security in the state’s prisons in light of frequent violent incidents in jails since the past several years.The CM directed a review of the security conditions and promised sweeping reforms in the jails to eliminate the rot that had set in during the past 10 years of Badal misrule. The government will review the report submitted recently by the high-powered committee on jail reforms and will initiate measures to improve prison administration.A statement issued here stated that Capt Amarinder had ordered officials concerned to deal with the situation in Gurdaspur and ensure that law and order was restored in the prison without delay.Expressing concern over the frequent outbreak of trouble, the CM said he had been in touch with senior police, prison and intelligence officials and the situation was now under control in Gurdaspur.In his preliminary report on the incident, Home Secretary NS Kalsi said the situation was resolved on the intervening night of March 24-25. The incident occurred when a few gangsters undergoing trial in several murder cases incited inmates of one of the barracks to confront the prison staff after assaulting three warders on duty.

Give up beacon, set example: CM

• Chandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has urged his colleagues in the state Congress to set an example for others by voluntarily giving up their red beacon in line with their commitment to people as part of the election manifesto. It was the collective responsibility of all party members to uphold the commitments made in the manifesto and fulfil their promises, said the Chief Minister through a statement issued here on Saturday. TNS

Gangsters tried diversion tactics to make escape bid

Threatened to blow up LPG cylinder to mislead staff

Cops at the Gurdaspur jail on Saturday. Tribune photo

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, March 25

Twenty-odd gangsters threatened to explode an LPG cylinder in an attempt to divert the attention of the authorities from a group of inmates who were busy creating an opening in the 13-inch thick outer concrete wall of the jail.Police sources say the cylinder was taken in possession by some hardened criminals around midnight. The gangsters then kept threatening the jail staff that they would explode it. A few hundred yards away, a group of 100 prisoners were busy creating a breach in the wall in the western part of the compound. The drama went on for sometime before the officers finally realised that it was a ploy to divert their attention.The sources say that gangsters Jagtar Singh, Amit Gill and Pardeep Uppal were the ones who planned and executed the tactic.“The prisoners used farm implements taken from the jail tool room to create a hole in the wall. They almost succeeded but when our guards spotted unusual movement, we decided to use tear gas following which the prisoners retreated,” said a jail staffer.Naunihal Singh, IG (Border), said he and other officers tried to negotiate with the prisoners who were threatening to explode the cylinder. “They kept making demands such as bringing back some gangsters who were shifted to other jails a few hours ago. They were holding the entire administration to ransom. We finally asked them to either go back to their barracks or face the consequences,” said the IG who spent the night coordinating with senior officers.Rohit Chaudhary, ADGP (Prisons), said: “When it was clear that the inmates had developed a mob mentality, meaning most were blindly following the diktats of a few, we were left with no option but to retaliate.”

Staff crunch, no intel unit hit jail security

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

The Gurdaspur prison arson and security breach just four months after the sensational Nabha jailbreak case has raised questions about security of such establishments in the state.Prison officials have blamed the police for the shortcomings and denying them their own intelligence unit. Serious staff crunch and reforms too are another sore point with the former.The Jail Department had moved a proposal about two months ago on its own intelligence unit but it was shot down. “The intelligence wing of the police monitors the phone calls and analyses the confiscated phone sets. Also, they tell us which criminal is a gangster. The department asked for permission for its own unit as relevant information to help pre-empt such incidents either doesn’t reach us or is delayed,” an official said.Sources last week requested ADGP Rohit Chaudhary for the unit and additional security in a letter to the DGP. “We are functioning with half of the sanctioned strength. The paramilitary battalions posted after Nabha Jail break have been withdrawn post elections. Nearly 600 vacancies have not been filled. We need more men. We wanted to set up a security zone in Gurdaspur jail on the lines of other jails but due to inadequate security, it was not possible,” rued a Jail official.A senior official of the Punjab Police, wishing not to be quoted, said the proposal of the separate Intelligence unit for the Prison department was not possible as too many units would have caused chaos, “It has to be centralised,”he said.Chaudhary said he has called for a review meeting for optimum utilisation of staff. He declined to comment on other issues plaguing the department.The then Akali-BJP government had started recruitment of jail staff twice but it was cancelled on both occasions due to allegations of favouritism.

Hands tied

• Jail officials say the Prison Department is functioning with half of the sanctioned strength. Nearly 600 vacancies have not been filled
• The proposal of a separate Intelligence unit for the department is too hanging fire
• The then Akali-BJP government had started the recruitment of jail staff twice, but it was cancelled on both occasions due to allegations of favouritism

Lambi cops pledge to weed out drugs

Cops take a pledge at Lambi police station on Saturday. Tribune photo

Lambi: Five days after the CM sent out a strong warning on the sale of drugs in a meeting with DCs and SSPs, the subordinate staff seems to have swung into action. For instance, all the policemen at cops at Lambi police station pledged that they would root out this evil. SHO Boota Singh said, “This is for the motivation of the personnel so that they perform their duties diligently. We are conducting raids to stop the sale and supply of drugs.” TNS

Midnight jailbreak bid thwarted by 3,000 cops

A hole carved out in the outer wall of the Gurdaspur jail. Tribune photo

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, March 25

After two staffers were attacked and riot and arson was reported from the Gurdaspur jail yesterday morning, nearly a hundred prisoners made a daring midnight attempt to breach the complex’s outer periphery wall, forcing the authorities to deploy about 3,000 policemen to contain the situation. Fresh trouble began around 11 pm and it took the police nearly six hours to bring the situation under control. More than 70 teargas shells were fired in what is being termed as one of the most daring jailbreak attempts in recent times. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)DGP (Law and Order) Hardeep Dhillon, ADGP (Prisons) Rohit Chowdhury and IG (Border) Naunihal Singh camped inside the jail through the night. Irked over alleged high-handedness of Jail Superintendent Dilbagh Singh, the inmates first ransacked a room where gardening tools of the jail staff were kept. They took the implements and rushed towards the compound’s outer wall. Once there, they cut a hole, big enough to let one man escape at a time, in the 13-inch-thick concrete wall, only to be stopped in their tracks by teargas shells fired by the police personnel from outside. The exploding shells made a noise akin to gun shots, which led to panic in nearby colonies with many residents fleeing their homes for safer places. The inmates reportedly used internet “threat” to check the advancing policemen. Whenever the police tried to go inside, the gangsters would tell them that “their activities would be captured on the mobile and uploaded on the internet”. Following these threats, the policemen would beat a hasty retreat. At the same time, an audio clip, prepared by an inmate detailing the reasons why the prisoners were angry, went viral, leaving the officials red-faced at the turn of events. Senior officers had no clue as to how and when these mobile phones were smuggled inside the high-security complex. Hardened criminal Jagtar Singh Jagga was in possession of one such phone before it was snatched away. Jagga along with around 10 other inmates was later shifted to other jails, including five to Bathinda. He and Pardeep Uppal were the two gangsters who prodded others to join the battle against the police.  The situation was so volatile that Chowdhury had to requisition forces from the four border range police districts of Tarn Taran, Batala, Amritsar and Pathankot. 

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How drama unfolded in Gurdaspur

• Around 11 pm, siren goes off after 900-odd prisoners raise slogans against jail supdt
• First teargas shell is soon after lobbed near a group of inmates
• Ploy to create fear fails, prisoners step out of barracks en masse into compound
• Mobile phone jammer and CCTV cameras are damaged, mess halls ransacked and garden tool room broken into
• Rumours of officials being taken hostage worsen things
• At 2 am, prisoners manage to reach outer wall and carve out a hole
• Cops lob teargas shells, inmates retreat; situation under control by 5.30 am

New MP takes up issues with officials

MP Gurjeet SIngh Aujla in a meeting with heads of the district and police administration in Amritsar on Saturday. Photo: Sunil Kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 25

The newly elected Member of Parliament (MP), Gurjeet Singh Aujla, discussed a wide range of issues concerning the city during a meeting with heads of the Police Department and the civil administration here today.Addressing mediapersons after conclusion of the meeting, Aujla said tourism topped the agenda for the holy city. He said, “Presently it is backbone of business after near vanishing of manufacturing industries, including carpet, fans, pharmaceuticals and others, from the city.”“The police has been categorically told to curb the menace of snatchings and provide congenial atmosphere to tourists,” he added. He said in order to give an impressive look to the city it was decided to shift beggars, whose number had reached an alarming proportion, from roads.He assured that destitute would be provided employment in case they were willing to work. He underlined that they would not be allowed to beg on roads.He said a grant would be released from the MPLAD fund to bring down pollution level in the city. The previous SAD-BJP government had hurriedly inaugurated land for the IIM campus at Jandiala Guru, near here, last year, he added. He said, “However, its administering agency has now requested allotment of four acres for access to the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT road.” A light and sound show would be made operational at Jallianwala Bagh soon, he added.Policy to act against illegal mining in districtThe district and the police administration have jointly chalked out a strategy to act against illegal mining in the district. A plan in this connection was prepared during a meeting between Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and Amritsar (Rural) police chief J Elanchezhian.They said different teams, comprising SDMs and officials of the Industry Department, had been raiding mining sites during night. They even seized equipment used in mining last night from some places. DC Sangha said any person found involved in illegal mining would be booked under the Mining Act.

 

women power: AAP MLAs Baljinder Kaur (left) and Sarabjit Kaur on their first day in the House.

Red salute: Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra greets a supporter as he make his way to the Assembly.

oppn force: Lok Insaaf Party MLA from Ludhiana Balwinder Singh Bains outside the Assembly.

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

The maiden session of the 15th Vidhan Sabha saw the monochrome days getting over! It was all spring colours, visible in the turbans, jackets and silk kerchiefs that were on full display on the treasury benches where Congress MLAs were seated and first three rows of the Opposition benches where the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs were seated.The monochrome deep blue turbans (of the Akali Dal) were decimated to just three rows of the Opposition benches. While Congress MLAs were seen revelling under the leadership of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and AAP MLAs under Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka, the Akali MLAs were left to brave the 77 Congressmen, 20 AAP MLAs and two Lok Insaf Party MLAs — the formidable Bains brothers — by themselves.Akali Dal president and leader of party in the House Sukhbir Singh Badal and the party’s chief patron Parkash Singh Badal were conspicuous by their absence on the day when all other MLAs took oath. Bikram Singh Majithia and deputy leader of the party Ajit Singh Kohar led the party’s team.The day also saw the “ambitious” Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu quickly jump and sit on the Chief Minister’s seat after Capt Amarinder Singh left the session for the day, only to be prodded by his own party’s MLAs and later the Vidhan Sabha staff to vacate the seat.But Sidhu, who got a seat next to the CM’s, did make it a point to assume Amarinder’s role of meeting and greeting all party MLAs who went to take oath, after the CM left the House after one-and-a-half-hour as he had to attend important official meetings.Sidhu also got warm hugs from his once allies Bains brothers, who will now sit across him.The House, which saw some bitter battles in the last Vidhan Sabha and comprises MLAs who fought one of the most acerbic political battles the state ever witnessed, saw some bonhomie today. Almost all Akali MLAs greeted Amarinder and other Congress and AAP leaders. The Congress leaders, too, paid their respects to all senior leaders of their as well as opposition parties.Among AAP MLAs, only Sukhpal Singh Khaira wished leaders of the ruling Congress, Akali Dal and the BJP. Others just took oath and went back to the seat. The young and first-time MLAs were all seen taking blessings from their seniorsThe first person to take oath was the Chief Minister, followed by his Cabinet colleagues in order of seniority, the Leader of Opposition and then MLAs from constituencies selected in alphabetical order.Most of the MLAs took oath in Punjabi, although a few like Minister Aruna Chaudhary took oath in English.AAP MLA from Kotkapura Kultar Singh Sandhwan first touched the ground before taking oath, while Congress MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring took off his shoes before he climbed on to the Speakers pedestal to take oath.

Lively first-timers bring freshness

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

Several first-time MLAs brought a whiff of fresh air on the first day of the Assembly session today.The youngest among them, Davinder Singh Ghubaya, said: “For all young legislators like me, it is a great experience to be among senior politicians such as Capt Amarinder Singh.”Ghubaya, a student of Economics at Panjab University, and other newcomers didn’t miss the opportunity to shake hands with Navjot Singh Sidhu. Some even hugged him or touched his feet. Manpreet Badal was another senior leader who got the attention of the junior MLAs.The new entrants included Angad Singh, Amit Vij, Dalvir Singh Goldy Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Sukhwinder Singh Danny and Sukhpal Singh Bhullar (all from the Congress), Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Gurmeet Singh Hayer and Pirmal Singh (AAP) and Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra (SAD).

No discussion on Guv’s address nowIn the first Business Advisory Committee meeting chaired by pro tem Speaker Rana KP Singh, it was decided that no discussion would be held on the Governor’s address on March 28. The discussion will take place during the Budget session likely in June.

The election to the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be on March 27. The committee includes Brahm Mohindra, Manpreet Badal and HS Phoolka.

All in a Day: From surprise to bonhomie

Relative support

The Governor’s gallery was brimming with relatives of MLAs. Prominent among those present were former MLAs Tej Prakash, Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, Malkit Singh Dakha, Mohammad Sadique and Guriqbal Kaur Babli. Many of them were there to witness the oath-taking ceremony.

Surprise element

Outside the Assembly, just before the session began, MLAs talked of power shift. An Akali MLA from Doaba was heard talking of the police not listening to him, while a Congress MLA from Ludhiana was revelling in the new-found adulation and admiration the police and civil administration had for him! “Yakeen hi nahi ho reha (I can’t believe it),” the Congress MLA said.

‘Amarinder chachaji’

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia first shook hands with “chachaji” Capt Amarinder Singh after taking oath, and later accepted the greetings from his party colleagues.

Power dressing

Male legislators outdid their female counterparts in dressing. While six women MLAs looked rather dull and demure (in contrast to the fashionistas of the last Assembly), the men flashed the latest styles in kurtas and bright colours in turbans.

Education Minister again fails to take oath in Punjabi

Aruna Chaudhary

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

Aruna Chaudhary, who had taken oath in Hindi during her swearing-in as the Minister of State for Education last week, did it in English today while being sworn in as an MLA.Her husband Ashok Chaudhary, a retired bureaucrat, said the minister was not “comfortable” with the Punjabi language due to “her educational background”.Aruna is heading the school and higher education departments, besides the Languages Department, which is involved in the promotion of Punjabi — the state’s official language.Ashok Chaudhary told The Tribune, “My wife completed her studies in Jammu and Kashmir, where Punjabi was not part of the school or college curriculum. So, she is more comfortable with Hindi and English rather than Punjabi.”In her nomination papers for the Assembly elections, Aruna had declared her “highest qualification” as Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Kashmir University. “What promotion of the language can we expect from an Education Minister who is not well versed in Punjabi?” asked Sukhdev Singh Sirsa, president of the Punjab Sahitya Akademi.The minister could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

• The views expressed are his personal)

As water is becoming an existential issue for Pakistan, it has emerged as a cause of major concern between India and Pakistan. Unable to manage and utilise its water resources efficiently, Islamabad misses no opportunity to attribute its water woes to Indian action in developing its water potential of the western rivers.

Pakistan is facing a grim situation regarding its fast depleting fresh water resources. The per capita water availability in Pakistan has decreased by over 406% from 5,260 cubic metres in 1951 to 1,038 cubic metres in 2010, just marginally above the 1,000 cubic metres per person threshold value under the global criteria. By 2020, the water availability in Pakistan would plummet to 877 cubic meters per annum. In such a scenario, its food security is in danger.

INDIA NOT TO BLAME FOR PAK WATER SCARCITY

 Pakistan has been blaming India’s hydropower projects on the western rivers for water scarcity. But, that doesn’t hold water. Broadly, the problems may be attributed to Pakistan having drawn limited benefit of India’s generosity, even as it has been receiving more than its authorised share in the past 56 years. A case in point is the limited dam storage of just 15.9 million acre feet (MAF) developed by Pakistan so far at Tarbela, Mangala and Chasma. This gets further reduced (by about 25%) on account of excessive sedimentation. Pakistan thus has water storage capacity just for 30 days against the minimum requirement of 120 days.

Post-September 2016, Pakistan has been raising the issue of water security at international forums and calling it “a corollary to the unresolved issue of Kashmir”. But Pakistan’s case before the World Bank, a facilitator of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), against the construction of Kishanganga and Ratle hydropower plants is a mere rhetoric. While the construction of Kishanganga project stands approved by the International Court of Arbitration, Ratle is a run-of-the river project permitted under the parameters of the IWT.

The key question: Why is Pakistan approaching various world forums? Is it an issue that has an impact on Pakistan, or is it its covert plan to act on behalf of China and in turn draw benefit?

INDIA NEEDS MORE POWER FOR GROWTH

The big picture indicates that Chinese are behind the present defiant stance of Pakistan. India is a power deficient nation. To draw benefit of various economic programmes, including ‘Make in India’, we need additional power. Our aim thus is to draw benefit of hydropower through projects on the western rivers as India is exploiting only one-sixth of its potential.

One of India’s economic growth indicators is that it has become number one destination for FDI surpassing China. The neighbouring country (China) apparently plans to deny us the availability of additional power for setting up industrial base. So, China has brought Pakistan at the forefront to raise objections to hydropower projects on western rivers. China thus plans to return this favour by providing water security to Pakistan.

ROW OVER DIAMER-BHASHA DAM

Pakistan has requested China to undertake construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam on the Indus in Gilgit-Baltistan. The proposed 4,500MW hydropower plant would eliminate about half of Pakistan’s power shortfall and irrigate millions of acres of parched farmland. The presence of Chinese elements in Pakistan occupied Kashmir will provide additional security to Pakistan. Incidentally, due to opposition by India, both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have in the past refused to lend money. To formalise this understanding, a decision was taken during the meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to include water security to Pakistan as part of CPEC projects.

RAISE OBJECTION TO CHINESE PRESENCE

From India’s perspective, inclusion of water security into CPEC is a political choice for Pakistan and China, though the issue does not fall within the mandate of the CPEC. New Delhi needs to understand the nuances of this action by Pakistan and China in PoK and raise objection to the Chinese presence. To counter Pakistan’s rhetoric against Kishanganga and Ratle, we must highlight that run-of-the-river dams such as Baglihar consume nothing as water must flow to run turbines. Such a dam delays a river with no consequential effect on the quantity of water reaching Pakistan.

CHINA PLANS TO DENY INDIA AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL POWER FOR SETTING UP INDUSTRIAL BASE AND THUS HAMPER ITS ECONOMIC GROWTH

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  groverp999@gmail.com (The writer is an expert on the Indus Water Treaty. The views expressed are his personal)

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Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, March 21

A week after killing SAD (Gurdaspur unit) vice-president and senior leader Gurbachan Singh Khalsa (79), Col Surjit Singh (retd) is yet to be arrested.Residents of Pherochichi village and its adjoining areas fear that the former Army officer may surface anytime to take revenge from villagers who are on his hit list. Khalsa’s bhog is scheduled to be held in the village tomorrow.Bhupinder Singh Virk, SSP, said the investigating teams had some clues pertaining to the whereabouts of the accused. Officers say the accused had switched on his mobile phone for a while following which the police were able to trace his location.The Colonel’s house in the village has been sealed and all his relatives are absconding. The weapon, a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol, is yet to be recovered.Questions are being raised as to how the Colonel was allowed to keep a weapon when the police had asked residents to deposit their arms in view the Assembly elections.

Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said he would seek the opinion of Advocate-General, Punjab, on his Cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu appearing on a TV show. The entertainment industry comes under the Tourism and Culture Ministry. Sidhu is Local Bodies, Tourism  and Culture Minister, Punjab. In an interview with a TV channel, Amarinder Singh said he had cordial ties with Sidhu, but his association with the entertainment industry would have to be looked into as Sidhu was a minister now.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Sidhu had told the media earlier he would continue to appear in the entertainment show, but would ensure it did not create any hindrance to his work as minister.

Halqa in-charge system goes

Shift officers ‘favoured’ by Akali govt, say Punjab Cong leaders

Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh holding a meeting with DCs and SSPs in Chandigarh on Monday. PTI

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

Dismantling the police structure put in place by the SAD-BJP government, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab today ordered the end of the controversial “halqa in-charge system” that had enabled Akali leaders to influence police functioning in their Assembly constituencies.

Edit: Well begun

At a meeting with senior officers here, Amarinder said the DCs, SSPs, SDMs and area SHOs would be held accountable for any failure to check drugs, corruption and mafia in their jurisdictions. Making clear that he meant business, Amarinder said he was aware of complaints of corruption against field officers holding various ranks, including that of DSP and SHO.These directions come amid growing disquiet among Congress leaders who want police officials who were favoured by the earlier SAD-BJP dispensation to be  shifted. These leaders have reportedly met the CM against the officers posted in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Khanna and Patiala. “An IG-rank official, known as ‘Jathedar IG’, continues to hold an important posting,” pointed out one of them.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Also, officers who had “manhandled” Congress leaders in Ludhiana during a “Chitta Ravana” protest, have been posted back in the district. Two officers, known to be close to the Akalis, are heading the district police as SSP.  Sources said the CM was yet to take a call on the matter, adding that he usually stood by his decisions. Already, the CM has shown faith in the DGP, Suresh Arora, who was appointed to the post by the earlier government, disregarding the fact that the husband of one of his party MLAs was a candidate for the post.