DOMESTIC FLIGHT FROM BATHINDA SOON MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
GIVES CLEARANCE
Chandigarh 25 April, 2008
Bathinda today moved a step closer towards a place on the civil
aviation map as Ministry of Defence gave its all important clearances
for operating four civilian commercial flights daily from the
Air force Station at Bhisiana. This was disclosed by Mr Harcharn
Bains, to the Media Advisor Punjab Chief Minister. This would
be the second major civil aviation project to be cleared for Punjab
and comes close on the heels of the clearance of the Mohali International
Airport
According to Mr Bains the necessary clearance was conveyed to
the Punjab government, through a special communication from the
Ministry of Defence earlier this week. Initially four flights
will operate daily between Bathinda and Delhi in either direction.
Keeping in view the requirement of the defence base, these flights
would operate between 10.15AM and 3.00 PM in order to avoid civil
scheduled operations during low operational flying by fighter
aircrafts.
A civil enclave would be constructed at the existing defence
airfield to ensure prompt commencement of the civil operations.
Additional land for this will be required by the State government
for the Airport Authority of India.
It may be added that state-of-the-art new flying training Institutes/academies
would be set up at Batala (district Gurdaspur) & Sri Anandpur
Sahib. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence, GOI have also accorded
its approval for setting up of flying institute at Faridkot.
The meeting was attended by Media Advisor to Chief Minister,
Mr. Harcharn Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr.
D.S. Guru, Secretary Civil Aviation, Mr. Viswajit Khanna and Additional
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gagandeep Singh Brar.
US COMPANY TO LIGHT PUNJAB STREETS
Chandigarh, April 25, 2008
A United States Company Econoler International is all set to
light the streets of Municipal Areas of Punjab.
Mr. Leon Biaou, Managing Director of Econoler International today
held a meeting with Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia , Science, Technology
& Environment Minister to explain the conceptual plan of the
company to provide energy efficient street lights for the Municipal
Areas of Punjab. He said that his company had already successfully
completed the self financing energy efficient street light projects
for Indore & Ujjain that resulted in annual power saving of
35%, recovering the cost of project within three years.
Mr. Leon Biaou explained to the Minister that the company would
suggest latest technology to the Municipal Corporations and Punjab
would not have to spend a single penny in upgrading the street
light infrastructure. He said that Energy Saving Companies would
bid for every M.C and recover the cost of the project from the
Energy saved by the new lighting system.
Appreciating the novel project Mr. Majithia said that Science
& Technology department would facilitate this project and
coordinate with Local Government Department for successful execution
of this project. He said that a team of Science & Technology
and Local Government Department would visit Indore & Ujjain
to study the operational success of this project.
Prominent among those who participate the meeting included Mr.
A.S. Chhatwal , Secretary Science & Technology and Mr. T.P.S.
Sidhu, CEO PEDA.
BADAL WRITES TO PM TO BAN FORWARD TRADING
IN STEEL
Chandigarh 25 April, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today sought personal
intervention of the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to ban forward
trading in Steel besides scraping import duty on the import of
scrap. He also demanded a 25 % cess on the export of basic iron
or steel. He said that the government should either levy cess
on export of Iron ore or ban the export of Iron ore.
Releasing the contents of the letter to newsmen, Mr Harcharan
Bains Media Advisor to Chief Minister disclosed that Mr Badal
was likely to raise this issue at personal meeting with the Prime
Minister.
In his letter, Mr Badal urged the Prime Minister to declare
' Iron Ore ' as National Heritage, since this product and its
stocks were limited. He said that the setting up of a Regulatory
commission would be a right step to resolve all the issues relating
to Steel Prices.
Punjab has a large number of Small Scale Industrial ( SSI) Units
and was one of the largest consumers of Steel. The units were
engaged in production of cycle parts, machine tools, hand tools
auto parts etc, according to Mr Bains.
Mr Badal pointed out that the representatives of Industries have
brought to his notice that the main producers of steel like Steel
Authority of India Ltd(SAIL), Tata Iron and Steel Company Ltd(TISCO)
and Rashtrya Ispat Nigam Ltd(RINL) raise prices of steel arbitrarily
and at frequent intervals, which were adversely affecting growth
of industries in the State of Punjab
The Chief Minister referred to the demands raised by legislators
from various political parties in the last session of the Punjab
Assembly and said that since Punjab was a border state and had
a locational disadvantage with regard to Steel plants, Steel Units
in the state had to pay higher freight charges, as compared to
other States. Resultantly, the SSI units of Punjab could not compete
in the market. Therefore, these units required a special rebate
on steel from main producers.
The Chief Minister demanded that the issue of price structure
of steel items should be examined afresh, in the light of frequent
price increase.
PLAN TO REVAMP THE ENTIRE WATER SUPPLY
SYSTEM IN THE STATE
Chandigarh, April 25, 2008
Punjab will set up a task force to chalk out a long-term strategy
to provide clean and uncontaminated canal drinking water and fight
the alarming menace of water, soil and air pollution in the state.
According to Mr. Harcharn Bains, Media Advisor to Chief Minister,
the task force which would function as advisory cell would comprise
representatives from Punjab State Pollution control Board, Public
Health, Irrigation, Health, Local government and Industries departments.
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal took cognizance
of reports published in a section of the press about the contaminated
canal water. An emergency meeting of senior officers was held
this morning to consider decisive steps to combat this menace.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister expressed deep concern
over the fragile drinking water supply system in the state in
general and Malwa region in particular, and said that for proper
health protection of the public, new techniques of water purification
should be adopted along with the revamping of the present system.
He emphasized the need for non-conventional techniques like Reverse
Osmosis (RO) and Silver Ionization (SI) for the purpose. These
techniques can ensure total safeguards against water pollution.
The main reason of the water pollution in the state was the disposing
of the untreated Industrial waste in the rivers.
Prominent amongst those who attended the meeting included Media
Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharn Bains, Principal Secretary
to Chief Minister DS Guru, Principal Secretary Local Government
DS Bains, and Secretary Irrigation & Power Suresh Kumar beside
officers of Water Supply & Sanitation and Irrigation departments.
IRRIGATION PROGRAMME FOR KHARIF SEASON ANNOUNCED
CHANDIGARH, April 25, 2008
The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational
irrigation Programme for the Kharif Season through Canal water
from 27 April to 4 May, 2008. The channels of Sirhind Canal System
would run on priority basis from Abohar Branch, Patiala feeder,
Sidhwan Branch, Bhatinda Branch and Bist Doab Canal respectively.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the irrigation department
said that direct distributaries of Ghaggar link and its off taking
channels i.e. Ghaggar Branch and Patiala Minor in Group 'B' being
in the Ist preference will run to their indent. Balance water
supplies available will be utilised in direct distributaries of
Bhakra main line of Group 'A'.
The spokesman further said that the Punjab channels off taking
from Harika and Ferozepur Head Works & Branches i.e. Abohar
Branch off taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries of
group "B" would run on first preference to their indent.
Balance water supplies available would be utilised in direct distributaries
of Sirhind Feeder in Group "A".
The spokesman also said that the channels off taking from upper
Bari Doab Canal i.e. Kasur Branch Lower with its distributaries
being in first Preference would run to their indent. Balance Surplus
water available would be utilised in Sabraon Branch, Lahore Branch,
Main Branch Lower and with its distributaries respectively.
