by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:55
Harbhajan Singh found himself in a fresh controversy after jabbing at a photographer at the Bangalore International Airport before leaving for the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
The feisty off-spinner, who very often finds himself in the news for all the wrong reasons, jabbed at a cameraman after the camera had hit him on the head while he was taking his luggage out from a car before entering the airport.
Harbhajan gave an angry stare at the cameraman even as a security personnel tried to push back the hordes of lensmen who had virtually mobbed the cricketer. The 29-year-old Punjab spinner has a rather dubious disciplinary record, having been penalised for various offences during his career.
Harbhajan was accused of racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds in Sydney and the 2007 'monkey-gate' incident snowballed into a major crisis, threatening to tear apart the cricketing world.
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:54
A coy Virender Sehwag does not want to lead the Indian cricket team but his feisty teammate Harbhajan Singh does, saying it’s a challenge worth a try.
Sehwag has already informed the selectors about his reluctance and requested them to groom someone for future. Harbhajan, on his part, said incumbent Mahendra Singh Dhoni is doing an excellent job at the helm but he made no bones about his own ambition, saying he would not shy away if Team India captaincy ever comes his way.
“Whoever plays for India wants to lead the side at some stage and it’s no different with me. At the end of the day, it’s a huge honour for a player,” Harbhajan said. The star off-spinner, however, gave thumbs-up to Dhoni’s captaincy and said, “At the moment, Dhoni is doing a fantastic job and there is no doubt that he is a brilliant skipper.”
Harbhajan was seen in the captain’s role in the recent BCCI Corporate Trophy where he led Air India Blue to the final and the spinner said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “Leading Air India Blue in Corporate Trophy was obviously a good experience. Of course you learn more and more with time but I certainly enjoyed it. It was a challenge for me which I accepted and enjoyed to the hilt,” said the 29-year-old offie.
Incidentally, Dhoni played under Harbhajan in the tournament and also rolled his arms for three unsuccessful overs in the final. Talking about captaincy, one thing that baffles Harbhajan is the myth that bowlers make inferior captains and more often than not, the job goes to a batsman. “I don’t know why batsmen are traditionally preferred for the captain’s job. I mean if you have good leadership skills, it should not matter whether you are a batsman or a bowler.
Your ability to lead should be the lone criterion,” he said. “Imran Khan was primarily a bowler when he took over captaincy and did a great job with Pakistan. And look at (New Zealand captain Daniel) Vettori today. He has been doing so well for quite a while. So how come people perceive captaincy a job beyond the bowlers?” Harbhajan asked. Harbhajan acknowledged captaincy is a full-time responsibility when he would have to plan for others as well but said he can handle the pressure that comes with the job.
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:53
New York September 10:
On a visit in New York, Home Minister P Chidambaram had a first-hand experience of how the US' financial capital, which is on the terror radar, is protected by security agencies from terrorist attacks.
Chidambaram, who arrived in New York on the first leg of his four-day US visit on Tuesday, was briefed by officials from FBI, intelligence and security agencies and New York Police about the measures being taken by them to prevent any Mumbai-type terrorist attacks.
From walking at the Penn Station, which handles thousands of train passengers every day, to a briefing by the New York Police, which had made several changes in its counter-terrorism measures post-26/11 attacks, Chidambaram and his team of officials got to know how a mega city like New York can be protected from terrorists without causing much inconvenience to its residents.
Chidambaram was also told about the coast guard facility at State Island. It was an important aspect of his trip given that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26 last year entered Mumbai through the sea route. Coastal security is now considered an integral part of New York's counter-terrorism mechanism.
Within hours of his landing in Big Apple, Chidambaram was at the Joint Terror Task Force Centre of the FBI in New York where he was given an exclusive briefing by the New York Police Department on the steps being taken by them to protect the city. Before Chidambaram left New York by train for Washington, he was briefed about the security of the Mass Transport System at the Penn station as security officials went through the procedure of random frisking and searching of passengers.
In Washington, Chidambaram will meet with top officials of the Obama Administration, heads of intelligence and security agencies and influential lawmakers over the next three days. The visit is aimed at carrying forward the dialogue with US with regard to assessment of the security situation in South Asia, understanding the Counter-Terrorism institutions and structures in US as well as meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior officials.
The visit is also significant in the context of India's continued appeal to the international community to exert pressure on Pakistan to take firm action towards dismantling of the terror infrastructure in that country as well as prosecution of all accused in the Mumbai attacks who are now in Pakistan. Chidambaram will also be discussing issues related to combating financing of terrorism and steps which will need to be taken in this regard as well as with regard to prevention of money laundering.
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:52
New Delhi September 10:
With the Gujarat government admitting that Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed in a fake encounter, the Supreme Court asked the State to come clean on such incidents by ordering an investigation to go to the root of the matter.
A Bench of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and Aftab Alam is hearing a petition filed by Rubabuddin for a CBI probe into the encounter death of his brother in the early hours of November 26, 2005 and the subsequent killing of Sohrabuddin’s wife Kausar Bi. The present plea is to refer the incident to the court-appointed Special Investigation Team headed by R.K. Raghavan, who is probing the 2002 Gujarat riot cases.
When senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Gujarat, strongly opposed this plea, saying a charge sheet was already filed in the case, Justice Alam said: “When you [the State] admit that it is a fake encounter, the great concern of the State must also be to go to the bottom of the matter. Why not put such encounter deaths beyond debate? The State should come forward to go beyond all possible debate or controversy. This is no less disturbing. Why don’t you agree to a SIT probe?”
Mr. Rohatgi said conducting further or fresh investigation would prejudice the prosecution case and delay the trial. It would also mean lack of confidence in the trial court, the High Court and the whole judicial system in the State, which would have wide ramifications.
Justice Alam said: “The question of referring the matter to the SIT has arisen as there have been allegations that the investigations by the Gujarat police are just an eyewash and an attempt to cover up the conspiracy in the case. The whole integrity of the investigation has been questioned. Till now, you have not explained how Kausar Bi was killed. Her manner of death is unknown.”
by Administrator
10. September 2009 12:51
Chandigarh September 10:
The BJP will urge its coalition partner, the SAD, to give relief to the lowest category of domestic consumers who have been adversely affected by a 17.5 per cent increase in power tariff announced by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission yesterday.
The saffron party is also on way to making a “transparent” report on “where power is being spent”. Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia has been entrusted with this responsibility following a closed-door meeting of the party this evening. State party president Rajinder Bhandari and senior leader Madan Mohan Mittal participated in it.
According to sources, the BJP has decided to first collect data about the total power availability in the state and also identify where it was being spent. The party noted that domestic consumers did not get sufficient power supply during the entire summer as well as monsoon period even though the PSEB tried its best to purchase power from all available sources.
Bhandari said the party was “concerned” at the burden put on domestic consumers, particularly the low-income group, which included those who consumed up to 100 units of power every month. He said the core committee of the party would take up this issue in all seriousness once data regarding the reasons why the power tariff hike was necessitated were put before it.
Mittal said the party would press for relief to the lower category of domestic consumers and approach Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this connection. He also claimed that the severe power shortage was largely due to the failure to increase power generation as well as limited buying opportunities due to drought-like conditions in other states also.
However, the sources said the BJP was likely to put forward the case that both urban and rural areas were equally affected by the hike in domestic tariff and that steps should be taken to subsidise part of the hike. The subsidy, they said, could offset the arrears due from domestic consumers from April 1 from which the power hike would be implemented with retrospective effect.
by Administrator
5. September 2009 06:21
Punjab Government has restricted all district and Sub Divisional heads from issuing of Scheduled Caste Certificates to migratory persons came from other states in Punjab.
An Instruction letter in this regard has been sent to all Deputy Commissioners by Secretary Social Welfare Sh T. R. Sarangal recently.When contacted Phagwara SDM Amarjeet Paul confirmed it and told newsmen here this afternoon that all concerned have been instructed, not to issue any scheduled caste certificate to any migoratory person as he supposed to get it from his/her native state.
Meanwhile, State Government has instructed all officials not to issue any scheduled caste certificate to the persons other than only 39 castes of Hindu,Sikh, and Bodh follower as SC Certificate could be issued only to above castes and religeons in the state.
SDM Paul also confirmed that several marasi muslims were getting SC certificates by enrolling themselves as “Doom Caste” whereas SC Certificate could not be issued to anybody else.SDM said that state government had instructed to cancel all such SC Certificates issued to muslims earlier.
by Administrator
5. September 2009 06:19
Patiala police has recovered 2-1/2 KG RDX with detonator and two more detonators have been recovered from one Raj Singh of Mansa district . SSP Arpit Shukla said on Friday that Patiala police has brought Makhan Singh and Raj Singh on production warrants from Mansa police for questioning in the killing of Rulda Singh, head of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an affiliate of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Rulda Singh was shot at on July 28 and later succumbed to his injuries on August 15 at PGI Chandigarh.
They had earlier been arrested by Mansa Police in connection with murder of one Lilly Kumar Patwari. Regarding who provide the RDX and where it was to be used by them is being ascertained through questioning. Further more developments are likely to be made in this case, said SSP.
When asked about from where Police have recovered the RDX, SSP said we can only say that it was recovered from Sadar police station and u/s 4/5 Explosive Act No. 6 of 1908 PS Sadar Patiala has been registered.
He said that they have to plans to use the RDX in Patiala and yet to decide the target.
He further disclosed that RDX was superior quality and was brought here from Pakistan. He said that it was the part of consignment and other part was used in Karnal on the unsuccessful attempt on the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Baba Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim, came under a bomb attack on February 2, 2008.
by Administrator
5. September 2009 06:13
he Punjab Government in pursuance of recommendations of the University Grants Commission, has revised the pay scales of teachers and equivalent cadres in universities and colleges in the state with effect from 1st January, 2006.
Disclosing this here Friday Dr. upinderjit Kaur Education Minister Punjab said that he pay in the revised scale would be payable in cash with effect from 1st August, 2009. The arrears for the period from 1st January, 2006 to 31st July, 2009 would be released in installments in due course. The revised pay scales were applicable to the teachers and equivalent cadres of the universities including Punjab University, Chandigarh, Government colleges, aided private colleges, directorate of colleges and equivalent positions in the library and physical education cadres only, she said.
The Minister further added that a committee has also been constituted to consider the other recommendations/benefits/allowances mentioned in notification of 6th pay commission issued by Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development vide no. 1-32/2006FUII/UI (i) dated 31.12.08. The necessary action would be taken as and when the recommendations of this committee would be received, she said.
She further clarified that the revised pay scales were not applicable in the case of Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana, Guru Angad Dev University of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Sciences Ludhiana and other Medical, Veterinary Science, Technical and Engineering Universities and Colleges in the State. The allowances admissible to Punjab Govt. employees as applicable to the personnel covered under this notification would be payable at rates notified by State Govt. from time to time and with effect from the dates applicable to other employees, she said.
by Administrator
5. September 2009 06:13
The Punjab Government has transferred and posted three ADCs including three Deputy Directors, eight District Development & Panchayats Officers (DDPOs) and twenty three Block Development & Panchayats Officers (BDPOs) of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department.
Disclosing this here Friday, a spokesman of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department Punjab said that JP Singh Dy Dir (E.P) Punjab, Chandigarh has been transferred as Divisional Director Ferozpur vice Jaspal Singh who has been shifted to Chandigarh headquarter as Deputy Director Panchayats replacing Sukhwant Singh Sarao who has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Sangrur vice Harpreet Singh Garcha. Davinderpal Singh Walia Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Tarn Tarn has been transferred to Chandigarh headquarter as Deputy Director.
He further added that Gurwinder Singh Sarao Secretary Zila Parishad (ZP) Bathinda has been posted as DDPO Mansa replacing Rajinder Batra. Baljit Singh Sandhu Secretary ZP Mansa would swap places with Balraj Singh DDPO Kapurthala. Kirpal Singh Secretary ZP Patiala has been transferred as Secretary ZP Kapurthala vice Mr Rakesh Kumar who has been shifted as Secretary ZP Amritsar. Mohinder Singh DDPO Faridkot transferred as Secretary ZP Patiala and Amrik Singh Sidhu Secretary ZP Muktsar has been shifted as DDPO Faridkot.
by Administrator
5. September 2009 06:10
n a bid to revamp the health care system in the state, the Punjab Government would prepare an integrated district health plan in a time bound manner to provide efficient health care services to the masses.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to review the functioning of Health & Family Welfare department here Friday morning. Badal categorically said that the state would ensure 24 hour health services in all the Community Health Centers (CHCs). He directed the health department to prepare a detailed inventory of unutilized/obsolete equipment lying in these CHCs to replace it with new one to enhance the quality of health services provided to the public round the clock.
Taking a serious view of the trend of absenteeism among the doctors and other para-medical staff in the various district hospitals, community health centers, primary health centers and dispensaries, Mr. Badal directed the health department to conduct regular inspections, minimum twice a week, by the senior most officers of the health directorate to inculcate a sense of discipline, commitment and responsibility amongst them. He also asked the health department to chalk out a comprehensive plan to start a massive drive against the drug abuse in the state.
To avail assistance from the Indian Council of Medical Research for the treatment of cancer, the Chairman of Punjab Planning Board Mr.JS Bajaj advised to launch a Cancer Registry at district level, in the absence of which the cancer control programmes could not be implemented in true spirit. The cases of cancer patients might be much higher than the available data because most of such patients were being treated in other states outside Punjab, added Mr. Bajaj. He suggested that hospitals in the state should update their secondary data regarding cancer patients in a proper manner and asked the department to prepare a primary data by conducting door to door survey so that requisite treatment could be given to cancer patients. He also emphasized the need for special efforts for obtaining adequate funds from the Centre to fight the menace of cancer.
On this occasion, Health Minister Mrs.Laxmi Kanta Chawla suggested to form district wise cadres for the doctors to ensure their cent percent presence at their stations of posting. The Health Minister suggested the enactment of a regulatory act in the state to bring about 3500 nursing homes and drug de-addiction centers with in the ambit of specific rules and regulations to ensure their proper functioning in a result-oriented manner.
The Secretary Health & Family Welfare Satish Chandera presented a detailed presentation on the achievements, policies, programmes and future projections of the department.