Just 11 of 483 village ponds cleaned in Muktsar dist this year

A village pond that is filled to the brim at Udekaran village in Muktsar district. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 8

The authorities have neither cleaned nor dewatered the village ponds even though the district is hit by waterlogging and suffers huge losses during monsoon. This year just 11 of the total 483 village ponds have been cleaned in the district. Last year, nearly 120 village ponds were cleaned.

Recently, the residents of Udekaran village complained to the Deputy Commissioner that the authorities failed to drain the pond. They said with just one spell of showers, the pond has been filled to the brim. The village was hit by waterlogging for about a month in 2013.

Gurlabh Singh, sarpanch, Udekaran village, said, “If there is one more spell of rain in the next two-three days, the water from the pond will overflow and inundate the houses nearby.” He further alleged the project to lay drainage pipeline from village pond to Bura Gujjar drain had not taken off. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal sanctioned the project in 2013.

A senior official in the district administration admitted not just in Udekaran village, but several ponds in the district had filled to their capacity. “Usually, the village ponds are cleaned by the panchayats. But where the panchayats don’t have enough funds, the ponds are not cleaned,” he added. Repeated attempts to contact Naval Kumar, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), proved futile.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Govt scraps Mata Kaushalaya scheme

Claims doing enough for expectant mothers; no money for pending cases

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 8

The cash-strapped state government has scrapped its Mata Kaushalaya Kalyan Yojana, which was started in 2011 to promote institutional deliveries in government hospitals.

Under the scheme, the government provided Rs1,000 to women after delivery for nutritious and balanced diet. The scheme was lying suspended as no beneficiary was given the promised amount for almost a year.

In Muktsar district, funds were released up to June last year and thereafter not even a single woman was given the monetary benefit.

Dr Bhag Mal, Director, Health and Family Welfare Department, said: “This scheme was lying suspended for a year since we did not get any funds for this period."

Surjit Jyani, Health Minister, said: “The Mata Kaushalaya Kalyan Yojana has been scrapped. No woman will now be given the monetary benefit even in pending cases.”

Jyani said: “The government is providing adequate facilities to expectant mothers, including free transportation to hospitals and return to their houses. Further, medicines and institutional deliveries are free of cost. ASHA workers have too been deployed to facilitate pregnant women.”

Satpal Gosain, then health minister in the SAD-BJP government, had started this scheme in 2011. It was launched to promote institutional deliveries in public hospitals to curb maternal and infant mortality rate.

As per the state government’s mother and child health action plan, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 172 per one lakh births. The aim is to bring MMR down to 78 by 2017. Similarly, the infant mortality rate (IMR) is 28 per 1,000 live births, which is aimed to reduce to 16 by 2017.

Data collected from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) showed that there were 1,25,510 non-institutional deliveries in the state in 2010-11; 92,993 in 2011-12; 71,047 in 2012-13 and 17,055 in 2013-14 (up to July).

Courtesy: The Tribune

Against rules, YAD holds drive in school; Campaign held in two classrooms, students forced to sit outside

Against rules, YAD holds drive in school

Campaign held in two classrooms, students forced to sit outside

YAD workers at a government school in Fatanwala village on Thursday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 2

Violating the rules, the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) is holding its membership drive in government schools. One such membership camp was held in two classrooms of the Government Primary School at Fattanwala village, near here, today. The students were forced to sit outside. The membership camp that started around 10 am lasted till late in the evening.

Binder Goneana, political secretary to Kanwarjeet Singh ‘Rozy Barkandi’, YAD president, Malwa Zone 1, said, “We held the camp in a room of the Government Primary School. The students had no problem as they were adjusted in other classrooms.”

Davinder Rajoria, District Education Officer, Muktsar, said, “I am not aware about the YAD membership drive being held in any government school. If YAD activists have done so, they have violated the norms. No political programme can be held in any government school.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Jagdeep Sandhu, who is also a native of Fattanwala village, said, “The district administration is choosing to be a mute spectator in the matter. It should take action against YAD for holding the camp on school premises.”

The membership drive of YAD was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in Bathinda on May 13.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Muktsar co-op society under scanner for Rs4.75 lakh fraud

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 24

The functioning of Harike Kalan Cooperative Society Limited in Muktsar district is under the scanner as its former secretary and president allegedly sanctioned loans to 19 women on fictitious names under the Mai Bhago Istri Shakti scheme in 2011 and 2012.

The issue came to light when four members of the society lodged a complaint in this regard to the Chief Minister, SSP, Vigilance, and Deputy Commissioner alleging that the society had sanctioned a loan of Rs 25,000 to each woman to start her own venture.

Thereafter, the inspectors of the cooperative department conducted a probe and found the allegations true. Harnek Singh, a cooperative inspector, who investigated the matter, said, “During investigation it is found that Rs4.75 lakh was given to 19 women as loan on fictitious names. None of them were found on the addresses given. The fraud seems to have been committed by the former secretary of the Harike Kalan Cooperative Society and the then manager of Central Cooperative Bank, Bariwala branch.”

He said, “We are expecting to unearth some more fraud thus investigating it thoroughly. The accused have now deposited the loan amount of Rs 4.75 lakh in the bank and its interest amount of Rs 2,72,070 as well.”

Meanwhile, Jaswinder Singh, president of the society, said, “I admit that fraud has been done but I have not played any role in it. My fake signatures were used to grant loan to 19 women on fictitious names. I was unaware of the issue.”

Gurnam Singh, former secretary of the Harike Kalan Cooperative Society Limited, said, “I am under pressure and can’t comment over this controversy.”

Harike Kalan Cooperative Society Limited is set up for three villages, Harike Kalan, Smagh and Kothe Bahadurgarh. All these villages fall in the Gidderbaha Assembly Segment.

Courtesy: The Tribune

59,712 ineligible Atta-Dal beneficiaries in Muktsar

The new list

• The district had 5,76,551 Atta-Dal scheme beneficiaries. The number has now come down to 5,16,839
• The total number of Blue Cards meant for the scheme were 1,45,555 in the district, which has now come down to 1,39,376 after the verification process

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 24

After declaring 13,410 persons as ineligible beneficiaries of the old-age pension scheme, the Muktsar district administration has now found 59,712 beneficiaries of the state government’s populist Atta-Dal scheme to be ineligible. As many as 6,179 Blue Cards meant for the Atta-Dal scheme have been found bogus after verification, which was completed recently.

Earlier, the district had 5,76,551 Atta-Dal scheme beneficiaries. The number has now come down to 5,16,839.

The total number of Blue Cards meant for the scheme were 1,45,555 in the district, which have now come down to 1,39,376 after the verification process.

A perusal of data procured from the district food and civil supplies office reveals that in Malout sub-division, as many as 63,005 Blue Cards were found genuine and there were 2,34,677 beneficiaries. Similarly, in Muktsar sub-division, the total eligible Blue Cards were 43,091 and the number of beneficiaries was 1,61,273. In Gidderbaha sub-division, there are a total of 33,280 genuine Blue Cards and 1,20,889 genuine beneficiaries now.

A Blue Card is issued to one household, listing the total number of family members as beneficiaries.

Geeta Bishambu, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC), Muktsar, said, “The verification process was recently completed, which was done with utmost care. Still, if any genuine beneficiary has been removed from the list, he/she may approach us.”

“A total number of 6,179 card-holders have been found ineligible in the district. There are various reasons for this. Either such beneficiaries fell in higher income group or someone changed his/her address or was found dead.”

The state government had ordered the verification of all beneficiaries in November last yeat after “irregularities” were alleged in the making of Blue Cards.

The beneficiaries are awaiting the supply, which was reportedly suspended due to the verification process. Sources said the government was mulling to release 10 months of wheat and pulses in one go.

As per the scheme, each beneficiary is entitled to 5-kg wheat and 500-gm pulses per month, with 2.5-kg pulses fixed as the higher limit per family per month. There is no upper cap in case of the wheat distribution.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Badal seeks report in land grab case

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 24

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has sought a report in the alleged land grab case wherein an SHO has been suspended.

Sources said the Chief Minister spoke to Muktsar SSP Kuldeep Chahal over the phone. “The CM has appreciated the steps taken by the police in the case. He directed the SSP to expose all those involved in this illegal activity,” said a source.

Chahal said: “As per our preliminary investigations, Balwinder Singh Pinder Sarpanch is the main accused in this case. His interrogation will lead us to expose the entire network, which he or his patron was operating in the area. We are getting a number of land grab complaints against him.”

The district police today filed an application in the court seeking the police remand of Balwinder Singh who is presently in judicial custody. On court orders, Pinder Sarpanch was taken to the Civil Hospital yesterday for a medical check-up. Pinder’s counsel has alleged that he was tortured by the police.

Courtesy: The Tribune

SHO suspended, SAD leader arrested in land grab case; Role of Muktsar DSP, former India hockey player, under scanner

SHO suspended, SAD leader arrested in land grab case

Role of Muktsar DSP, former India hockey player, under scanner

The conspiracy

• Pal Singh of Chuhad Chak Vadha village alleges that his brother-in-law Kaku Singh of Rupana village is mentally unfit
• He claims that the joint ancestral land of Kaku and his sisters is being cultivated by Kaku’s cousin Darshan Singh
• Pal alleges Darshan wanted the land to be transferred in Kaku’s name with the sisters not being given any share
• He further states that, therefore, Darshan abducted Kaku’s sister Tirpal Kaur
• Darshan Singh claims to be innocent
• He alleges SAD leader Baljeet Singh “Pinder Sarpanch” attempted to grab the land of his cousin Kaku Singh

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 23

The functioning of Muktsar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), City, Kanwalpreet Chahal, a former India hockey player, has reportedly come under the scanner in a case of land grab. Gurinderjit Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), city police station, has been suspended and local SAD leader Baljeet Singh “Pinder Sarpanch” arrested in the case. Bajleet has been sent to judicial remand for 14 days.

Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kuldeep Chahal said the SHO was suspended for having mala fide intention in a land-grab case. “The SHO didn’t verify the facts and registered a kidnapping case against some persons. DSP Kanwalpreet’s role has also come under the scanner. An inquiry has been marked to SP (H) and SP (D) Muktsar. Further, we have arrested the man who planned to grab the land in Rupana village,” said the SSP. He further said the DSP was on ex-India leave and that the inquiry officer would record his statement upon his return.

On the basis of the investigation report of Superintendent of Police (H) Narinderpal Singh, Pinder Sarpanch has been arrested. He is also facing charges of attempt to murder.

“The preliminary investigations suggested that Pinder had planned to grab some agricultural land near a paper mill in Rupana village. The DSP is said to be a close friend of his. The DSP had directed the SHO to register a case against three persons at City Muktsar police station,” said the SSP.

On reports that the accused DSP directed the SHO to register the case after discussing the matter with senior officers, the SSP said they were verifying the facts. He said the police were getting a number of complaints related to land grabbing against Pinder.

A senior police officer said many land-grab cases were expected to be unearthed now. “We are suspecting two-three more persons to be involved in the case,” he added.

The police registered a case of kidnapping on May 7 against three persons, including two brothers Darshan Singh, Balwinder Singh of Muktsar town and Baljeet Kaur of Rupana village on the complaint of Pal Singh of Chuhad Chak Vadha village in Moga district. The complainant had alleged that his brother-in-law Kaku Singh of Rupana village was mentally unfit and the joint ancestral land of Kaku and his sisters was being cultivated by Kaku’s cousin Darshan Singh. He alleged Darshan wanted the land to be transferred in Kaku’s name with the sisters not being given any share. Pal further alleged that, therefore, Darshan abducted Kaku’s sister Tirpal Kaur. On the other hand, Darshan Singh approached the SSP, claiming to be innocent.

Courtesy: The Tribune