Counting
postponed in those panchayat samitis and zila parishad zones
where adjournment of polling or repolling to be held on 26th May
Chandigarh May 13. 2008
The State Election Commission Punjab today directed that counting
of votes in respective Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad zones
would not take place on Wednesday 14th May 2008 in which such
polling booths are located where adjournment/ cancellation of
polling had been ordered in the state on account of directions
of the High Court or re-polling would held on 26th 2008 due to
election related incidents.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the State Election
Commission Punjab said that the directions in this regard has
already been issued to all the District Electoral Officers-cum-Deputy
Commissioners, all Addl. District Electoral Officers-cum-Addl.
Deputy Commissioners (Dev.) in the State.
He added that pursuant to the directions of Hon'ble Punjab and
Haryana High Court and on account of adjournment/ cancellation
of polling in some of the booths on 12.05.2008, re-poll in all
such polling stations have been ordered on 26.05.2008. As the
counting of Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad votes is scheduled
to be held on 14th May, 2008 but with a view to ensure peaceful
and orderly conduct of re-poll at the concerned Panchayat Samiti
and Zila Parishad polling booths, it has been decided that counting
of the respective Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad zones would
not take place in which such polling booths were located.
Adding further "if re-poll has been ordered in different
booths falling in four or more different zones of any Panchayat
Samiti or Zila Parishad, then the counting for the entire Panchayat
Samiti or Zila Parishad shall stand postponed wherein such polling
stations/ booths are located" he said.
On the recommendation of concerned Additional Deputy Commissioners
(Dev.)-cum-Additional District Electoral Officers about reported
poll violations and disturbance of election process in the state
on 12th May, the Commission today ordered repoll in eleven more
Polling Stations. The repoll would take place on 26.05.2008 between
8.00 AM to 4.00 PM at the polling stations already set up. The
concerned Returning Officers would fix date, time and place of
counting of votes and send notices to this effect to all the contesting
candidates.
The epelling has been ordered today in Polling Station No.4
village Dhulka in Panchayat Samiti Zone No.17 Sangatpura and Zila
Parishad Zone No.17 Tangra, Polling Station No.6 village Kaleke
in Panchayat Samiti Zone No.19 Kaleke and Zila Parishad Zone No.17
Tangra, Polling Station No.7 village Kaleke in Panchayat Samiti
Zone No.19 Kaleke and Zila Parishad Zone No.17 Tangra, Polling
Station No.69 Dandrala Kharod in Panchayat Samiti Zone No.14 Barch
and Zila Parishad Zone No.2 Challella, Polling Station No.196
Rampur Sahiwal in Panchayat Samiti Zone No.15 Tohra and Zila Parishad
Zone No.2 Challella in distt Patiala and in Lambi epelling would
take place at Polling Station No.35, Polling Station No.37, Polling
Station No.79, Polling Station No.79-A, Polling Station No.80
and Polling Station No.80-A.
It may be mentioned here that the state commission had already
ordered to repoll at 17 polling stations due to poll violations
and disturbance of election process during polling in the state
on Monday 12th May. The Election Commission, on the orders of
H'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, had already postponed the
elections in four zones of three Zila Parishads and one each in
fifteen Panchayat Samitis to 26th May.
REGULAR HEALTH CHECKUPS FOR SAFAI KARAMCHARIS
TO BE ENSURED - R.I. SINGH
Chandigarh May 13, 2008
Shikha
The Chief Secretary Punjab Mr. R.I. Singh assured Mrs. Santosh
Chaudhary, Chairperson of National Commission for Safai Karmacharis
in a meeting held here today, that the state government would
provide all basic facilities to the Safai Karamcharis like giving
them identity cards, uniforms and timely & regular wages.
Besides this he said that the state government would also ensure
them regular health checkups all over the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Chaudhary said that the existing
contract system should be abolished in order to check the increased
exploitation of the Safai Karamcharis at the hands of the contractor
and the supervisors. She took stock of the cleanliness and hygienic
surroundings of the Punjab Civil Secretariat and said that the
interests of the Safai Karamcharis would be safeguarded and she
asked them to be regular and honest in discharging their duties
dedicatedly and devotedly. She urged the state government to make
new recruitments of the Safai Karmacharis wherever there was a
shortage of the staff.
LOSS OF FERTILITY OF THE SOIL WITH BURNING
OF WHEAT STUBBLE
Chandigarh May 13, 2008
Naginder Singh
Educating farming community regarding the ill effects of burning
of wheat stubble an official spokesman of Agriculture Department
Punjab said that besides air and land pollution it causes incidents
of fire, loss to the fertility of the soil and environmental degradation.
Farmers should know that Micronutrients, which could be made
available to the soil from wheat stubble, were lost and the high
temperature caused due to fire also reduced the fertility of the
soil.
Some friendly insects and worms that were found in moist earth
were also burnt to death due to the heat, he added.
He appealed to the farming community to stop the practice of
burning wheat stubble.
MEETING OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS PPS NABHA
GENERAL RODRIGUES PLEADS FOR INCULCATING SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND
BELONGING AMONG STUDENTS TO SERVE NATIONAL PURPOSE
CHANDIGARH, MAY 13, 2008
The Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory,
Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM VSM, while presiding
over the meeting of Board of Governors, Punjab Public School,
Nabha, here today voiced his serious concern over the growing
trend of fulfillment of personal ambitions and short term goals
by individuals and that we have to reverse this trend, by developing
innovative educational programmes that inculcate a sense of ownership
and belonging among our students and serve the national purpose.
There is a need for initiating holistic result-oriented programmes,
by our education institutions aimed at instilling among the students,
a feeling of "us" instead of "we" and "they"
and cementing their loyalty to our Country, besides reminding
them of our traditional values.
Strongly advocating the need for reinventing our
approaches and restructuring the syllabi of our higher and secondary
education, General Rodrigues said that this process has already
started and the focus is on making our young students professionally
competent and confident personalities, alongwith the literary
aspects. He said
that a low priority to a value system and good citizenship in
our existing education system is diminishing us as a nation, and
needs serious attention.
Emphasising the need for further improving Career
counselling programmes, General Rodrigues called for proper orientation
towards army career and lectures, by experts from different fields
should be periodically organized to motivate the students for
higher professional studies. He expressed happiness when the Headmaster
pointed out that this year three students made it to National
Defence Academy (NDA). He stressed the need for forging tie up
arrangements with Western Command, Army Headquarters, Univesities
and corporate houses to provide an opportunity to the students
of the institution to broaden their vision, and advise them about
career selection.
General Rodrigues also emphasized the need to strengthen contacts
with the alumni of the institution to seek their help and support
in terms of their expertise, knowledge and experience in different
fields for the further development of the institution.
Sh. Manpreet Badal, Finance Minister, Punjab, while
taking part in the deliberations, informed that he will give a
grant of Rs. 5.00 lakhs to the corporate fund, for each student
who makes to NDA from PPS Nabha. He also assured more financial
support, to the school, for promotion its academic programmes.
Various issues including approval of budget for the year, 2008-09
were discussed in the meeting and it was resolved to further improve
academic and sport standards in the School. The construction work
of the Indoor multi-facility sports complex is in full swing and
will be completed in the stipulated time frame.
Commodore (Retd.) I.L. Sayal, Headmaster of Public
School Nabha gave a detailed account of the activities and achievements
of the Institution.
Prominent among others who attended the meeting
included Mr. K.N. Singh, IAS (Retd.), Mr. S.C. Agrawal, Principal
Secretary Industries and Commerce, Punjab, Mr. K.S. Sidhu, Principal
Secretary Higher Education, Punjab, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Vijay Oberoi,
Mr. M.P. Singh, Secretary to Governor, Mr. Pawan Munjal, a leading
industrialist and Brig Sukhjit Singh, MVC from Kapurthala.