BADAL ASKS TASK FORCE TO PREPARE BLUE
PRINT FOR THE MISSION "SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR ALL"
CHANDIGARH MAY 16, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today constituted
a task force consisting of officers from Punjab State Pollution
Control Board, Punjab State Council for Science & Technology,
Water Supply & Sewerage Board to prepare a blue print for
making Sirhind Canal free from pollution to achieve the objective
of 'safe drinking water for all'.
Chairing a meeting to review the progress of different schemes
of drinking water and sewerage in both urban as well as rural
sectors here this morning, Mr. Badal asked the State Chief Secretary
to make the entire programme to implement these schemes in a time
bound manner. He also directed the Secretary Irrigation to jointly
conduct a fresh survey of Sirhind Canal with Punjab State Pollution
Control Board to identify the entry points of pollution caused
by sewage, industrial wastes and garbage disposals before taking
up the operation for its cleaning. He also entrusted the Executive
Director of Punjab State Council for Science & Technology
with the task to finalize the modalities to implement the schemes
aimed at purifying water especially in the most polluted zones
of the state with a high level of toxicity due to industrial pollutants
and pesticides. He also asked the Secretary Water Supply &
Sanitation to undertake proper monitoring of rural water supply
schemes by application of Reverse Osmosis (RO), Silver Ionization
and Ultra Violet techniques depending on the factor of water impurities.
Mr. Badal asked the task force to submit the report on the Sirhind
Canal in the first phase within a fortnight and the remaining
canals and drains in the second phase within a month. He assured
that there was no shortage of funds for the implementation of
the schemes of drinking water and sewerage. He also underscored
the need for enforcement by the Punjab State Pollution Control
Board to check the untreated industrial effluents in the rivers
which were hazardous for the health of the people and consequently
there was also a threat of out break of diseases like viral hepatitis
and gastrointestinal infections. He asked the officers to device
a methodology to make use of recycled water for irrigation purposes.
The chief minister also directed the Chief Secretary to work out
the modalities for these schemes in order to project its demand
to the 13th Finance Commission.
Briefing the Chief Minister the Chief Secretary RI Singh emphasized
the need to adopt a holistic approach to check the menace of water
pollution caused by the industrial effluents and industrial wastes.
He said that the upcoming housing colonies should only be given
'No Objection Certificate' provided if these colonies were properly
installed with the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) as certified
by the pollution control board. He also informed the Chief Minister
that a detailed project report for these schemes could be posed
to the World Bank for financial aid.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Secretary Water
Supply & Sanitation PS Aujla, Executive Director PSCST NS
Tiwana and Chairman Punjab State Pollution Control Board Yogesh
Goel and Managing Director Water Supply & Sewerage Board Pardeep
Chaudhary.
BADAL WRITES TO PAWAR FOR INCLUDING ENTIRE PUNJAB UNDER
NFSM-RICE
CHANDIGARH MAY 16, 2008
The Punjab government has asked the Centre to include the entire
state in the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Rice to ensure
better contribution to the Central Pool of food-grains on one
hand and the long term National Food Security due to improved
ecological sustainability of agriculture production pattern in
the state, on the other.
In a letter to the Union Minister for Agriculture Mr. Sharad
Pawar, the Chief Minister, Mr.Parkash Singh Badal mentioned that
none of the districts had been included in the programme for implementation
in Kharif-2008. Mr. Badal pointed out that the NFSM-Wheat was
being implemented in 10 districts of the state for increasing
the productivity and production of wheat crop. The state had implemented
this programme in right earnest which had shown tangible results
in NFSM districts and the same interventions have been made in
other districts of the state as well though from its own resources.
Though there was contribution to the central pool from every nook
and corner of the state yet there still existed a gap in the potential
yield (i.e. productivity achieved in the large scale scientific
research trails) and the yield at farmer's field, stated Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister revealed as in case of Wheat, Punjab was regularly
contributing 35-40% of Rice in the Central Pool. He said that
the objective of the NFSM was to improve the productivity of foodgrain
crops so as to achieve the National Food Security. Mr. Badal also
referred to System of Rice Intensification (SRI) that had already
been introduced in some districts of the state and the results
were also very encouraging in terms of saving 30 to 35% of irrigation
water and higher yield potential than the traditional method of
planting paddy. In case of paddy as well, there was an untapped
potential and the sate would strive to bridge this gap under NFSM-rice.
It may be recalled there had been a quantum jump in the production
and procurement of wheat in the state during Rabi 2007-08. The
market arrivals were likely to touch 10.5 million Meteric Tonnes
out of which the procurement for the central pool was likely to
be 10.00 million Meteric Tonnes. Thus, the state continues to
play a pivotal role in the national food security even in the
face of challenge of ecological sustainability of agricultural
production pattern.
BADAL WRITES TO PM FOR RESTORING PUNJAB'S
SHARE IN DEPUTATION RATIO OF 60:40
CHANDIGARH MAY 16, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today urged the
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to take effective measures immediately
to restore the norms of deputation policy, under which all posts
in Chandigarh Administration are to be filled by deputation from
Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40, besides checking the
systematic erosion of Punjab's share over past few years.
In letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Badal lamented that lot
of erosion had taken place to dilute the role of Punjab in the
Chandigarh Administration. He said even the distribution of Departments
was to be such so as to reflect the ratio of 60:40 - 60% departments
to be handled by the officers of Punjab cadre and 40% by Haryana
cadre officers.
Citing the background of entire case, Mr. Badal mentioned that
the first Chief Commissioner of Union Territory, Chandigarh was
a Punjab cadre officer. Subsequently, the Chief Commissioners
and now the Advisors to the Administrator are UT cadre officers.
Earlier, the post of Advisor to the Administrator was an ex-cadre
post which had now been converted into cadre post of IAS of Assam,
Goa, Meghalya & other Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre. Even
with above arrangement, only the post of Chief Commissioner/ Advisor
to the Administrator was supposed to be handled by an IAS officer
of AGMUT cadre. Today, atleast 4 IAS officers of AGMUT cadre were
working in Chandigarh Administration. Similarly, earlier only
the post of IGP was occupied by an IPS officer of AGMUT cadre.
Now, apart from the IGP, two posts of DIGs were also being manned
by IPS officers of AGMUT cadre.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that the Departments like
Vigilance, Education, Health, Transport, Housing, Local Government,
Social Welfare etc. had always been held by the Finance Secretary
who was a Punjab cadre officer. Over a period of time, these departments
have been transferred to the Home Secretary who was now a Haryana
cadre officer. Today, Finance Secretary, a Punjab cadre officer,
was only handling 11 departments whereas the Home Secretary was
handling more than 25 departments. Earlier, some of the posts
like DPI (Schools), Joint Secretary Home, Assistant Estate Officer,
Divisional Forest Officer were normally filled from Punjab cadre
officers. However, all these posts were now being manned by Haryana
cadre officers.
The Chief Minister further stated that employees working in the
Union Territory were to be taken on deputation from the States
of Punjab and Haryana in the ratio 60:40. However, as on today
20261 employees working in the Union Territory, Chandigarh, only
1580 employees were deputationists. Thus, only were very small
size of officials was on deputation and mostly, employees are
from UT Administration.
Seeking personal intervention of the Prime Minister, Mr. Badal
asked him to restore the share and role of Punjab in the Chandigarh
Administration by issuing suitable instructions in this regard
to concerned authorities at the earliest possible. He impressed
upon Dr. Manmohan Singh to fill all the posts of IAS and IPS Officers
in the Union Territory, Chandigarh from Punjab and Haryana in
the ratio of 60:40. In future, all the posts of employees in the
Chandigarh Administration should only be filled on deputation
from Punjab and Haryana in the same ratio. Of the departmental
officers, all those posts which were earlier manned by Punjab
cadre officers needed to be restored to Punjab cadre officers
and all those departments which were earlier with the Finance
Secretary should immediately be restored to him.
THREE CRPF CONSTABLES POSTED AT CM'S RESIDENCE PLACED
UNDER SUSPENSION
CHANDIGARH MAY 16, 2008
Taking Cognizance of the media reports published in a section
of press regarding quarrel among CRPF personnel deployed at Punjab
Chief Minister's residence, Deputy Inspector General of Police
CRPF, Chandigarh (U.T) Mr. A.S. Sidhu said that all three constables
have been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
Enquiry had been ordered and Security at CM's residence had been
also been beefed up.
Clarifying the position about the unfortunate incident, Mr. Sidhu
mentioned that on May 14 at about 11.00 hours two personnel, Constable
Narinder and Constabale Arun Kumar had a tussle over a minor issue
in CRPF lines and not CM's residence.
Constable Surajbhan who was standing nearby intervened to stop
them from quarrelling in this process Constable Surajbhan sustained
injury on his left ear and constable Arun Kumar on his upper lip.
Both were sent to PGI and have since been discharged after treatment.
In this connection, preliminary enquiry has been done and no such
thing as use of Rifle butts, sharp edged weapon or dagger etc.
as reported in the press reports had been found. Both personnel
had received minor injuries and they have been discharged from
hospital after administering first aid. The DIG CRPF Chandigarh
and commandant 134 Bn, CRF have visited the coy and reviewed security
arrangement at CM's residence.
PUNJAB DGP ORDERS IG BORDER TO PROBE INTO CLASH BETWEEN BJP &
SAD WORKERS
CHANDIGARH MAY 16, 2008
Taking serious review of the incident of clash between BJP and
Akali Dal workers at village Daburji in District. Tarn Taran on
May 11, the Director General of Punjab Police Mr. N.P.S Aulakh
today directed the Inspector General of Police (Border) Mr. RP
Meena to conduct a detailed fact finding enquiry into the said
incident.
The enquiry would also take into account the role of various
district officials in handling the situation and submit the report
within a week positively to the DGP for onward submission to Govt.
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