Canadian Parvasi 68

The International News Weekly dIWALI
November 09, 2018 | Toronto
11
AAP & SAD hit by infighting,
ticket-seekers grow in Cong
Bathinda: With the
2019 Lok Sabha polls
near, Congress leaders
in Malwa region of Punjab
are sensing an opportunity
in the rifts which
have developed in AAP
and SAD in recent past.
Punjab Congress chief
Sunil Jakhar has confirmed
to TOI that there
are more leaders looking
to contest on party tickets
next year.
While Jakhar did not
reveal the reason behind
the trend and called it a
“good sign” for the party,
a source in the Congress
said ticket-seekers felt
they had better chances
of winning because of
infighting in the Shiromani
Akali Dal (SAD)
and the state unit of Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP).
Sensing the eagerness
of leaders, Congress
has planned an internal
survey in seats where
there are more than two
serious contenders for
the party ticket. The
source said party leadership
felt that SAD and
AAP might not be prepared
to take on the Congress
as they would have
wanted to, because of the
infighting.
Congress insiders
said the party was expecting
more contenders
from Faridkot, Ferozepur
and Sangrur seats.
In Bathinda, however,
the party is learnt
to be relying more on
state finance minister
Manpreet Singh Badal
and wants him to contest
from the seat. If he refuses,
the party seek his
consent for its choice,
said a source.
Sources added that
four party leaders were
trying to get the ticket
from Sangrur for themselves
or their kin. Former
Barnala MLA Kewal
Singh Dhillon and former
CM Rajinder Kaur
Bhattal are said to be
the frontrunners. Dhuri
MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy
is said to have sought
the ticket for his wife,
Simrat Kaur Khangura.
On the other hand, Amargarh
MLA Surjit Singh
Dhiman is trying to
No record of AQI in Punjab villages
Agencies
Patiala : Each year,
air quality in Punjab deteriorates
after paddy is
harvested. But the Punjab
Pollution Control Board
(PPCB) has no mechanism
to record the air quality
index (AQI). The state depends
on the air monitoring
stations in six cities,
whereas stubble-burning
occurs in villages.
Even as a thick smog
engulfed hundreds of Patiala
villages, the air quality,
as per the PPCB rating,
was “moderate”, (0-50 good,
51-100 satisfactory, 101-200
moderate, 201-300 poor,
301-400 very poor and 401-
500 severe) with respirable
suspended particulate matter
(RSPM) recorded at 135.
“For measuring AQI,
the six stations in the cities
depend on the flow of air
through their machines
despite the fact that wind
velocity is as low as 2 km
per hour for most part of
the day,” say officials.
On Monday, the AQI in
Mandi Gobindgarh was recorded
at 123, in Ludhiana
91, Jalandhar 174, Amritsar
135, Khanna 112, Bathinda
43 and Rupnagar 103.
Sources say PPCB officials
have about 40 portable
machines to record air
quality in villages. “The
ratings on these machines
tell a different story with
air quality in the ‘poor
to very poor’ category in
terms of particulate matter.”
Data compiled by these
machines shows that Bara
Pind near Goraya recorded
RSPM at 135 and 228, Binjon
in SBS Nagar at 176
and 179, Ram Tirath Pura
in Amritsar at 133 and 185,
Mehna in Moga at 147 and
186 and Rakhra in Patiala
at 108 and 163 on October 9
and October 17.
“We have limited resources
to monitor air
quality in villages and the
readings taken through
portable devices only tell
particulate matter reading
and not the AQI,” explained
PPCB member secretary
Krunesh Garg. “The
AQI stations in the cities
give an accurate reading.
Compared with last year,
the pollution has been less
this paddy season.”
An AQI station requires
an investment of
Rs 1 crore — Rs 80 lakh as
installation charges and Rs
20 lakh as running expenditure.
“Till enough funds
are received, we will have
to rely on AQI stations in
the cities,” said a PPCB
official. KS Pannu, Secretary,
Agriculture, and former
PPCB chief, admitted
there was a need for more
such stations. However, he
said these would be useful
for only two months during
the paddy season.
‘Ignored’, LoP to complain against Dirba officers
Sangrur : Leader of Opposition (LOP) and AAP Dirba MLA Harpal Cheema today alleged that the Dirba
administration had been ignoring him and not inviting him for official functions. He said he would write
to the Privileges Committee of the Vidhan Sabha for action against officers concerned.
“Senior officers of the Dirba administration have not invited me for any function for the past many
months. On Monday, the administration opened a Sanjhi Rasoi in Dirba. All Congress leaders, including
those who lost the recent elections, were invited, but I did not get any invite and got to know about the
function through newspapers,” said Cheema.
Warning the officers concerned of strict departmental action, he said officers should keep in mind that
they were the employees of the Punjab Government and not the Congress.
“I will write to the Privileges Committee of the Vidhan Sabha,” said Cheema.
Dirba SDM Deepak Rohela said, “I am unaware of all this. I will look into the matter.” Cheema asked
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to take immediate effective steps to solve the problems being faced
by farmers in selling paddy with high moisture content. “The moisture in paddy has increased because
the government pressurised farmers to delay the sowing of paddy,” said Cheema.
make a pitch for his son
Jaswinder Singh Dhiman.
State public works development
minister Vijayinder
Singla is learnt
to be keen on getting the
ticket for a family member.
In Ferozepur, MP
Sher Singh Ghubaya,
who has drifted from
SAD, is the new entrant
among Congress’s ticketseekers.
His son Davinder
Singh Ghubaya had
won the last assembly
election as the Congress
candidate from Fazilka.
“The party, however,
will not rely on the internal
strife in SAD and
AAP, but is taking these
elections very seriously.
It is not the time to take
the Lok Sabha polls lightly,
even though opposition
parties are on weak
footing,” said Jakhar.
He added that the
party would take feedback
from its district
and block committees,
and only “winnable”
candidates would be recommended
for tickets to
the party high command.
Indian, Chinese troops
meet at Arunachal
border on Diwali
Itanagar : Indian and Chinese troops met and
exchanged greetings on the occasion of Diwali at
Wacha in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district and
at Bum-La in Tawang district, a defence communique
informed here. The two sides met on Wednesday
and exchanged gifts and sweets at Anjaw and the
Chinese side included women and children, the communique
said.
The two sides interacted and exchanged greetings
in a cordial atmosphere, a sign of improving
military-to-military ties at ground level, it said.
The programme at Anjaw was marked by its
friendly and cordial atmosphere and cultural programmes
were presented by the Indian Army personnel
and students of Kibithu Government Middle
School, it said. The event was aimed at enhancing
the mutual trust and friendship between the two
border guarding forces.
The Indian Army and Chinas Peoples Liberation
Army conducted a ceremonial border personnel
meeting to commemorate joint celebrations of
Diwali organised by the Indian Army at Bum-La in
Tawang district, the communique said.
At Tawang the Indian delegation was led by Colonel
Prasenjit Kar, while Colonel Yang Zi Ming headed
the PLA team. Both sides highlighted the importance
of maintaining peace along border areas. The
highlight of the border personnel meeting was the
colourful and impressive performances by cultural
troupes showcasing 'Real India', it added.