Punjab school board chairman resigns

Balbir Singh Dhol. File photo

Chandigarh, May 25

Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) chairman Balbir Singh Dhol has resigned from his post, an official spokesman said here today.Dhol, who was appointed as chairman of PSEB in December last year immediately after his retirement as Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government, quit, a board spokesman said without divulging the reason behind Dhol’s resignation.”Yesterday, sleuths of Punjab vigilance bureau raided the premises of the board and house of Dhol at Mohali,” he said.The raids were conducted in connection with the alleged irregularities in recruitment to various posts in cooperative banks when Dhol was registrar in 2010, he said.Recently, taking an extremely serious view of the poor Class X board examination results conducted by PSEB, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh issued strict instructions to the education minister to prepare a blueprint for raising the standards of education in the state.The chief minister has also directed the finance department to make available all necessary funds to the education department for undertaking urgent measures to improve the quality of education and infrastructure in government schools.

Amarinder had spoken to Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary to express dismay over the shocking 15-point dip in students’ performance in the PSEB Class X exam, in which over 40 per cent of the students have failed, an official spokesman said.

Around 57 per cent students of class 10 passed the board exam conducted by PSEB, the result of which was declared recently.The chief minister had said he was very disturbed at the deteriorating standards of education in Punjab, as a result of which “our children are falling by the wayside in the race for good jobs and professional career growth, with most of them even failing to clear the necessary exams for getting into the armed forces”.The fact that only 24 students from government schools had made it to the merit list was a serious cause for concern, said the chief minister, pinning the liability for the poor performance on the education department, which is responsible for maintaining the standards of government schools, as well as the overall quality of education in the state.

Amarinder had earlier ordered several sweeping policy changes to raise the bar of education in Punjab.After the appalling performance of the students in the Class X Boards, Amarinder had asked the concerned officials to expedite the process of working out the necessary modalities for taking the improvement agenda forward on a war footing. — PTI

PSEB chairman quits after marching orders from CM

MINE AUCTION ROW

Oppn seeks action against minister

Rana Gurjit Singh, Power Minister

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

The Opposition parties in Punjab today demanded the sacking of Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh in response to The Tribune report on how sand mining contracts of at least four sites during the recent e-auction were bagged by employees of the minister’s company.Related stories:

• Cook as mine owner: Parties seek Punjab minister’s dismissal
  
• Oppn urges ED to probe ‘benami’ transactions

While Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka asked CM Capt Amarinder Singh to take action against ministers “indulging in wrong practices and acquiring benami contracts”, AAP MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira said if no action was taken, a dharna would be organised in front of the residence of either the CM or Rana Gurjit. He said the Punjab Government should make public the source of income of the minister’s cook, who had bagged a Rs 26-crore contract.Khaira said AAP will also file a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate and urge it to keep tabs on the “mafia that has been looting the natural resources”. He also called upon the Punjab and Haryana High Court to take suo motu cognisance.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The Akali Dal sought action against the minister under the Income Tax Act and a probe by the Enforcement Directorate.Meanwhile, High Court advocate HC Arora has written to the Enforcement Directorate seeking a probe against all four who bagged the mining contracts. He demanded that they be investigated under The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016. In a letter to Joint Director (Administration), ED, Arora said the news report indicates investment of huge benami amounts, and/or hawala money for getting sand and gravel contracts.He said, “It does not need any argument that the money invested is benami property. It may involve hawala transactions also. This is a serious matter which requires an ED probe.”

Oppn urges ED to probe ‘benami’ transactions

Parties ask Capt Amarinder to explain stand

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

Opposition parties today demanded that Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh be sacked from the Cabinet over the mine auction controversy allegedly involving four of his employees.Leader of the Opposition HS Phoolka asked Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to take action against the ministers acquiring ‘benami’ contracts. “Captain should explain what is stopping him from taking action against Rana Gurjit?” he asked.Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said if the CM failed to act against Rana Gurjit, the party would hold a dharna in front of the residence of the CM or the minister in order to make him quit. He said the state government should make public the source of income of Rana Gurjit’s cook Amit Bahadur.He said AAP would also file a complaint with the Chief Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and urge the agency to keep tabs on the mafia that had been looting the state’s natural resources.Khaira also asked the Punjab and Haryana High Court to take suo motu cognisance of the issue.In a press release, SAD demanded immediate sacking of Rana Gurjit for acquiring sand and gravel mines through ‘benami’ transactions in the name of his cook and office staff. In a statement here, party MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said action should be taken against the minister under the Income Tax Act.“The case should also be handed over to the ED for an investigation,” he said, adding that the party would also raise the issue in Parliament.Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a press conference in Ludhiana, former state BJP president Manoranjan Kalia dared the CM to make his position clear or order a CBI probe into the entire process of e-bidding of sand mining.Former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh said the case brazenly established conflict of interest in the auction of mines in Punjab and warranted Rana’s immediate dismissal.

Poor results? School board chairman Dhol calls it quits

BS Dhol while releasing Class X results. File photo

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 25

Appointed at the fag end of the SAD-BJP’s tenure, Balbir Singh Dhol, chairperson of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), today resigned from his post.The move followed Vigilance raids at his residence and office on the PSEB premises yesterday. The VB team examined certain files in the DPI office regarding the appointment and promotion of education officials. Before his appointment as PSEB chairperson, he was serving as DPI, Schools. Sources claimed that during the raid, the Vigilance officials were seeking record related to Dhol’s appointment.Dhol was continuing to hold on to the post after the formation of the Congress government even as his appointment was marred by controversies as norms were reportedly tweaked by the previous government to favour him.The government first issued a press release, saying that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has asked Dhol to resign, pinning responsibility for the poor results of Class X. Later, it was withdrawn and a new press release said the CM ordered him to resign after his appointment was found lacking in due diligence.The interim charge of the chairman has been given to Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, and a three-member committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, has been formed to appoint a new chairperson.Sources say Dhol handed over his resignation to the Principal Secretary, Higher Education, this morning. They said he had resigned on “moral grounds”, without giving any explanation. He was summoned to the Civil Secretariat last evening, and sources say the issue was of his resignation.Dhol, a former PCS officer, had joined the office on December 24 last year, after his retirement.

Govt flip-flopThe state government on Thursday first issued a press release, saying that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has asked PSEB chairman Balbir Singh Dhol to resign, pinning responsibility for poor results of Class X. Later, it was withdrawn and a new press release said the CM ordered him to resign after his appointment was found lacking in due diligence.

No teachers, villagers lock school

Villagers stage a dharna in front of a government school at Maniana in Sangrur. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, May 25

The residents of Maniana village, the last village of Punjab on border with Haryana, today locked their government senior secondary school and started an indefinite protest in front of the school.Last year the government had approved its upgradation to senior secondary level, but no new teacher was posted nor was there any information when admissions to the senior classes were to be held.“The school was upgraded on October 21, 2016. We thought admissions will start after the class 10 result, but the school authorities refused to admit our wards in the senior secondary classes two days ago,” said Balwinder Singh, member of the village education reforms committee while sitting on protest.As per the letter issued, the approval was granted to upgrade school and he had sought a detailed report about the financial position of the school. The authorities sent the report last year, but till today nothing has been done. The then Finance Minister Parminder Dhindsa laid the inaugural stone on December 14, 2016, he added.Today, when teachers reached the school, they found its main gate locked and villagers sitting on protest in a tent outside.“Our school caters to three villages and in the absence of a senior secondary school our children are compelled to go to Moonak, a distance of 12 km without any proper transport facility. We request the CM to look into the matter,” said Najar Singh, sarpanch of the village.DEO (Senior secondary) Balwinder Aulakh, said that the Finance Department had not approved any posts for the upgraded school so far.“We are in touch with the authorities on the issue and trying to resolve it at the earliest,” he said.

Probe Capt’s claim on ‘fake’ encounters: DSGMCto CBI

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 25The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has sought a CBI inquiry and an FIR against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on the charge of concealing information about the killing of 21 Khalistani militants for over two decades.Addressing a press conference, DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK and general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the CM had tweeted recently, “I felt betrayed by then PM Chandra Shekhar after 21 Khalistani militants I arranged to surrender were killed. Never spoke to him after that.”“This is a confession by the CM, but who will take action?” they asked.The duo said they would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek a CBI inquiry against the CM. They also announced to approach the National Human Rights Commission for getting an FIR registered against the CM.GK and Sirsa said the 21 Khalistani militants were lodged in a jail after they had surrendered. Later, they were killed in a fake encounter. Their killing was a murder of the judicial system, the Akali leaders added.“If our appeal for a CBI inquiry is not accepted, the DSGMC will go to court,” GK and Sirsa said.

CM refuses more security

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

In wake of open threats by Canadian pro-Khalistan elements and intelligence inputs, CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday dared the former to come to Punjab and face his government’s wrath.In a hard-hitting reaction to the reported video threats against him and Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu, the CM said he was not intimidated by such acts and was more than ready to take on such forces in order to protect the state and its people.Elements like these are trying hard to disrupt the peace and harmony of Punjab, he said.Vowing to stop them from realising their nefarious designs, he said, “If they have the guts, they should come to Punjab and my government will take suitable action to ensure that they do not get away with their cowardly threats and attempts to revive terrorism in the state,” he added.Stating that he would not seek enhanced security for him and Bittu, the CM said the state police was more than capable of providing protection to the people, including Congress leaders.

The CM told his colleagues and officials that there should be no move on their part to scale up his security cover in view of the video threats, said a spokesperson.Says he trusts policeChief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh says the state police are more than capable of providing protection to the people, including political leaders

Threat To Captain Amrinder Singh And Ravneet Bittu – ਕੈਪਟਨ ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਅਤੇ ਰਵਨੀਤ ਬਿੱਟੂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੀ ਧਮਕੀ

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Watch : Inside Khalistani supporters threat video threatening Ravneet Bittu and CM Amarinder Singh

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Govt accepts Sra’s resignation, finally

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

The Congress government has finally accepted the resignation of “blue-eyed” man of the Badals, Harmel Singh Sra, who was appointed CEO of the Punjab State Transport Society for five years by the previous SAD-BJP government.Sra is neither an IAS nor a PCS officer. After serving two extensions post-retirement, he remained the acting State Transport Commissioner — a cadre post reserved for IAS officers — during the SAD-BJP rule. Before the Assembly elections, he was “rewarded” with the post of CEO of the Punjab State Transport Society in October last year. The post was created to adjust him.Congress MLAs and private transporters had been seeking his removal.Welcoming the move, Jaswinder Grewal, president, Mini Bus Operators Association, said the government should fix the responsibility for the grant of illegal permits, extension of routes and other anomalies that had been struck down by the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Badals’ blue-eyed man

• Harmel Singh Sra is neither an IAS nor a PCS officer. After serving two extensions post-retirement, he remained acting State Transport Commissioner
• He was later given the post of CEO of the Punjab State Transport Society

4 Sikhs thrashed in Ajmer, panel seeks report

Our Correspondent

Jaipur, May 25

The Rajasthan State Commission for Minorities today summoned the state police after a video showing four Sikh men beaten up by local residents of Chainpura in Ajmer district on April 24 has gone viral.The 51-second shows the four men being abused and thrashed by a mob as people witnessing the incident filmed the entire episode, the police said.After reviewing the video on WhatsApp and other links, commission chairman Jasbir Singh issued letters seeking personal appearance of the four victims, Nasirabad police, and people who lodged a complaint against the Sikhs in the next 10 days before the commission.“The location is unidentified. In fact, I got a vehicle number traced and found that the incident happened somewhere in Ajmer. A factual report has been sought within 10 days,” Jasbir Singh said.Additional Director General of Police (law and order) N Ravindra Kumar Reddy said the incident had occurred nearly a month-and-a-half ago in Chainpura village falling under Nasirabad Sadar police station of Ajmer district. He said three-four sewadars (Sikh members) of a gurdwara from Alwar district had visited the village to collect donation. Some local residents had then beaten them up alleging that they molested their women. They were arrested and released on bail.However, according to the police, the Sikh men were not found involved in molestation and were asked to file a cross FIR against those who thrashed them but they did not lodge any complaint.Laxman Ram, SHO, Nasirabad Sadar, said the sarpanch of Chainpura had lodged a complaint following which four accused were arrested. They were released on bail.

http://VID-20170525-WA0008.mp4

Scam whiff over recruitment of patwaris

Father of a candidate says those with less marks than that scored by his son got jobs

Rajinder Singh Brar interacts with mediapersons in Bathinda on Thursday. Photo: Vijay Kumar

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 25

Father of a candidate who applied for a job for the post of patwari today alleged that the recruitment process was flawed and that candidates with marks less than that scored by his son in the ex-serviceman quota was chosen while his son was not selected.Levelling allegations, Rajinder Singh Brar of Lal Singh Basti said the Director Land Record, Government of Punjab, had advertised on September 10, 2016, regarding recruitment for 1,227 vacant posts of patwari in the Revenue Department and 857 posts of patwari in the Canal Department.Of these, he stated, 226 posts had to be filled from the ex-servicemen quota.He said his son Manpreet Singh Brar had also applied for the post in this category and appeared for the examination.The result was declared on November 29 and Manpreet scored 35.25 marks.“On December 21, the shortlisted candidates were called for counseling and my son’s name was kept in the waiting list. Later, we got to know that all posts had been filled and the chosen candidates had even been allotted places of posting. Through an RTI query, I got to know that as many as 142 candidates who had scored less than 35.25 marks were given jobs and allotted posting, which is a clear violation as per the merit list,” Brar said.He demanded that the state government must look into the alleged recruitment scam, take action against the culprits and give jobs to the deserving candidates.Rajinder Singh Brar said he had already filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the recruitment procedure and demanded that it should be scrapped.“It’s not only about my son, it’s a matter concerning the misuse of power by some government officials. It is because of some corrupt officials that the public is losing faith in the functioning of the government. If deserving candidates are not to be given jobs, then the government should not hold recruitment procedure,” he said.

MLA inspects administrative complex

MLA Sushil Rinku takes feedback from visitors; finds record room in poor condition

Jalandhar (West) MLA Sushil Rinku made a surprise visit to the tehsil complex in Jalandhar on Thursday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 25

Congress MLA from Jalandhar West Sushil Rinku today held an inspection of the various branches of the administrative complex and personally took feedback from the visitors at the various branches.The councillor-turned-legislator first went to the tehsil complex and checked its functioning.He interacted with the tehsildars, deed writers and clerical staff and cautioned them against accepting bribes for getting any work done. He talked to the visitors and asked them not to pay any extra amount and report it if there were any such instances.He then took a round of the room for storing land records and found it in bad condition.Rinku’s next stop was at the Sewa Kendra where the public told him that the server worked too slowly or for only one to two hours and that their whole day was wasted in getting a simple work done.He questioned the DM and the Additional DM of the Sewa Kendras about it who, he said, did not have an answer to the problem.He then asked the coordinator of the Sewa Kendra, Anand Mohan, to lodge a complaint in the matter with Secretary, Governance Reforms. The MLA spent about 1.45 hours at the complex.

City gives rousing reception to its ‘sprint king’ Gurinderveer Singh

Jubilant parents and friends of Gurinderveer Singh with him at the Jalandhar railway station on Thursday.

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 22

The city today gave a rousing reception to its 16-year-old sprint king Gurinderveer Singh who won two gold medals in the 100 m event and 400 m relay race, respectively, at Asian Youth Athletics Championship held in Bangkok from May 20 to 22, 2017.Gurinderveer Singh created his best international record with the timing of 10.69 seconds in the semi-final heat of the 100m race. He also created history by grabbing the first gold medal for India in the 100m event. With this, Gurinderveer Singh has been declared the Asia’s fastest sprinter. Another feather in the golden cap of Gurinderveer was his achievement of gold medal (team event) in the 400m relay race in Athletics Championship 2017 held in Bangkok on May 23.Gurinderveer arrived at the railway station in the morning and was welcomed by family, coach, his relatives and staff of Cambridge International School. Though he was asked to move to Cambridge School for a press conference, he urged to be first taken to the Gurdwara Sahib to pay his obeisance to the almighty and to touch the “sacred ground” at Lyallpur Khalsa College where he used to practise before the event.The young star went to Khalsa College and after offering prayers at the gurdwara inside, he went to the ground and bowed there in respect.Later, addressing the press, Gurinderveer Singh gave the credit of his success to his parents, teachers and his coach Sarabjeet Singh Happy. He added that in order to accomplish his dreams he had worked hard and completely abstained from the use of smart phones. He shared how the rules set by his coach helped him to achieve his goal. He outlined his dream of representing India in Olympics and getting a gold medal in the same.Exalted at his prodigy’s wonderful achievement, his coach Happy said he was proud to be his mentor. He acknowledged the hard work put in by Gurinderveer and expressed with conviction that he would go a long way in international sports. He wished him luck in all his future endeavours.Gurpreet Singh Dhesi, OSD to the Punjab CM, Capt Amarinder Singh, honoured the upcoming international star by being present in person to receive him and congratulated him for his prestigious achievement. AS Sikand, sports coordinator, LWES, congratulated Gurinderveer on his glorious victory and gave the credit of his victory to his hard work and determination, his parents, his coach and his teachers.On this occasion, chairman, LWES, Ajay Bhatia, vice-chairman, LWES, Nitin Kohli, president, LWES, Deepak Bhatia, also congratulated him and announced Rs 1 lakh cash prize for him.Wants to don police capThe young athlete shared many incidents during the press conference. Talking about his idol, Gurinderveer said he held his father as his idol and wanted to be a police officer like him.An elated Gurinderveer has already begun preparations for the World Youth Athletics championship to be held in Kenya from July 12 to 16 this year.Speaking about the do’s and don’ts he followed while preparing for the event, the ace sprinter said he had completely stopped the use of the two-wheeler and used to travel by bus to avoid any accident on road. Also, he had stopped going out with his friends to follow his strict diet regime.Promising star Gurinderveer Singh created his best international record with a timing of 10.69 seconds in the semi-final heat of the 100m race. He also created history by grabbing the first gold medal for India in the 100m event. With this, Gurinderveer Singh has been declared Asia’s fastest sprinter. Another feather in the golden cap of Gurinderveer was his achievement of gold medal (team event) in the 400m relay race in Athletics Championship 2017 held in Bangkok on May 23

Weeds at Harike Lake pose fresh trouble for amphibious bus project