MP invites applications

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 26 — The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, has invited applications from bona fide residents of the city for gas connections on out-of-turn priority basis. The connections will be given out of his discretionary quota.

In a statement here today, Mr Jain said in view of the decision of the Kerala High Court, the applicant had to fulfil four conditions — proof of residency, urgency for the connection, his name should figure in the LPG waiting list with the distributor concerned with the certification that he would use the LPG for domestic purposes only.

The applications should reach his residence by December 30.

Jain, others greet Prime Minister

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 25 — The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, today felicitated the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, on his 75th birthday.

In a message to the Prime Minister, Mr Jain prayed for a long life to Mr Vajpayee so that he could serve the country for long. ...

To celebrate the birthday of the Prime Minister, the Lions Club, Chandigarh Shivalik, in collaboration with the Azad Welfare Society, Mani Majra, organised a free eye camp at Mani Majra.

As many as 260 patients were examined at the camp, which was inaugurated by Mr Satya Pal Jain.

Those identified for operations have been admitted.

The OPD will remain open tomorrow, a press note said.

Four more HC Judges likely

Tribune News Service

by Rajindra Sharma

CHANDIGARH, Dec 25 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court is likely to have four new Judges in the next couple of days.

Those who are expected to be elevated to the High Court Bench are Mr A.S. Garg and Mr V.M. Jain, both senior Sessions Judges of the Haryana cadre, Mr Amar Datt, a senior Sessions Judge of the Punjab cadre, and Mr Jagdish Singh Kher, a leading High Court lawyer.

Mr Satya Pal Jain, local M.P. told TNS that he called on the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Union Law Minister, Mr Thambi Durai, yesterday and stressed upon them to nod the appointment of these persons. Both of them assured Mr Jain that these appointments would be cleared in a couple of days.

Mr Jain said he also told Mr Vajpayee and Mr Thambi Durai that more than 1 lakh cases had been gathering dust in the High Court, much to the chagrin of the litigants.

He pointed out that the process of filling vacancies in other High Courts of the country had also been accelerated. The vacancies which have been lying vacant in other High Courts are also likely to be filled shortly. ...

Peace march by Tibetans

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 25 — Tibetan students affiliated with the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress today started a peace march from Chandigarh to New Delhi, With a view to seeking international support for Tibet.

As many as 70 students are participating in the march, which was flagged off from the Students Centre of Panjab University by the local M.P. Mr Satya Pal Jain here today.

The president of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Mr Tsewang Namgyal in a statement said that the demands of the organisation included resumption of debate on the question of Tibet on the basis of 1959, 1961 and 1965 resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, appointment of a rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in China occupied Tibet and an unconditional release of all political prisoners, including the nine year old Panchen Lama, from different prisons in Tibet.

Mr Jain in his address said that he would take up the matter with the External Affairs Minister.

Powermen oppose shift of office

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 24 — A delegation of the Power Grid Employees and Workers Union led by Mr Satya Pal Jain, local MP, today met the Union Minister for Power in Delhi and urged him to direct the Power Grid Corporation of India authorities not to shift the Chandigarh office.

Mr K. L. Walia, general secretary of the union said that at present the office was engaged in the execution of the Nathpa-Jhakri transmission system, Parvati hydro electric system besides carrying out commercial activities with various state electricity boards. The shifting would affect the corporation's working.

The minister assured the delegation that the needful would be done.

Give UT's share of power: Jain

Tribune News Service
NEW DELHI, Dec 22 — Mr Satya Pal Jain, BJP MP from Chandigarh today urged the Centre to give the Union Territory its share of 3.5 per cent of energy being generated by Bhakra Beas Management Board.
Raising the issue under rule 377 in Lok Sabha today, Mr Jain said the Union Territory of Chandigarh came into existence after the partition of Punjab in 1966. Hence it is a "succeeding state" as per the Punjab Reorganisation Act, he said.
Mr Jain said that though every "succeeding state", as per law was entitled to its share in power produced by the BBMB, yet Chandigarh was denied its share, causing injustice to the city for the past 30 years.
Mr Jain said there was an acute shortage of power in Chandigarh and the Administration had to purchase power from outside because the city had no power plant of its own. It raised the cost of power which ultimately adversely affected the industry and employment.
The government, he said, should take steps to remove this injustice and make suitable arrangements for proper power supply to Chandigarh. He also urged the government to compensate the Union Territory for the losses suffered by it for the past three decades because of the denial of its legitimate claim by the Central Government.
He demanded that the Centre should accord approval to the setting up of a power plant in Chandigarh so that power shortage could be sorted out and demands of residents could be fulfilled at reasonable rates.

Decision on land acquisition sought

Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, Dec 17 — The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, has urged the UT Administration to take a decision about acquisition of land and payment of compensation to land owners at the earliest. Mr Jain had taken up this issue at a meeting with the Administrator, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber (retd), and his Adviser, Mr Jagdish Sagar, a few days ago.
In a statement issued here today, Mr Jain said he was told by officials that land prices had witnessed an abnormal hike during the past few years but the benefit of this escalation was not being passed on the farmers whose land was being acquired.
Mr Jain also discussed various problems being faced by villagers of the union territory and demanded immediate elections to gram panchayats, panchayat samiti and zila parishad.

Unions hail decision on deputationists

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — The Central Government's decision to treat the employees transferred by the Chandigarh Administration to the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) on deputation has been welcomed by various employees unions.

A press note of the Joint Action Committee of the Municipal Corporation Employees and Workers lauded the efforts of the local MP, Satya Pal Jain, and the Adviser to the Chandigarh Administrator, Mr Jagdish Sagar.

The Municipal Corporation Employees Union (Engineering Wing) and the Sweepers Union have also hailed the decision.

CMC employees 'to be treated on deputation'

Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, Dec 15 — The Union Government has made it clear that employees transferred to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation from various departments of the Chandigarh Administration will be treated on deputation with the corporation.
According to Mr Satya Pal Jain, local MP, this was stated by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, in reply to a question by him.
Mr Jain said the Home Minister told him that two conditions had been imposed for treating employees of the corporation as government employees. These conditions were that they would not be entitled to any deputation allowance and that in future the corporation would make its own recruitments.
About 4,000 employees were transferred to the corporation two years ago.

Tribune CC, ICC emerge champs

The Tribune

CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 (TNS) — Tribune Cricket Club and Industrial Cricket Club won the Super-8 wicket cricket tournament organised by C.Y. Cricket Club, Sector 46-C, in the junior and senior categories respectively. ...

Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP, gave away the prizes.

Viewpoints on Insurance and Patents Bills

The Tribune

From T. V. Lakshminarayan, Gaurav Choudhury

NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — The Union Government’s decision to bring the Insurance Regulatory Authority Bill and the Patents (Amendment) Bill, 1998, in the current session of Parliament has triggered off a debate. The Government, despite the contradictions within its fragile coalition, says these laws are necessary in the overall interests of the economy and integrating it with the global economy. Being a signatory to the World Trade Organisation, the Government has little choice but to bring the patenting laws in the country in line with international practice. The Patents (Amendment) Bill is a first step in this direction and the Bill if passed would grant Exclusive Marketing Rights (EMRs) to pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products. The Tribune spoke to a couple of prominent votaries and critics of the two measures.

On the IRA Bill, the former Group Head of Insurance of JK Industries , Mr Shambhu Anand, came out in support of opening the insurance sector. The Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Chandigarh, Mr Satya Pal Jain, who like all his party colleagues will vote in favour of the Bill, however, reflected on the reservations he had before the Prime Minister convinced the party cadres about the importance of the IRA Bill in the overall economic interests of the country. Mr Jain, incidentally is a whip of the party in the Lok Sabha, and he would ensure that his party MPs vote in support of the Bill. ...

One lakh kids given polio drops

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Over one lakh children below five years of age received polio drops in the city today in the country-wide first phase of the pulse polio immunisation campaign.

According to Dr Y.P. Singla, District Family Welfare Officer-cum-Nodal Officer of the Pulse Polio Campaign, over 1,03,000 children were immunised against the disease in 316 booths, including 51 mobile booths.

The Finance Secretary, Dr Vajralingam, the Director of Health Services, Dr R.S. Sandhu and the local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, were among those who visited camps. ...

Youth Parliament contest results

The Tribune
CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — A prize distribution function of the state level Youth Parliament competition was held in Government College of Education, Sector 20, here today.
The Director of SIE, Dr H.C. Sharma, stressed that such competitions were important for strengthening the deteriorating social fabric of the country. Mr Satya Pal Jain, member of Parliament, was the chief guest. He gave away prizes to students. ...

No proposal to raise judges’ retirement age

Tribune News Service

From K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, Dec 1 — The government has said it is not considering any proposal to raise the retirement age of the judges.

In a written reply to Mr Satya Pal Jain, the Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Mr Thambi Durai, replied in the negative to a question whether the government was considering proposals for raising the retirement age of the judges.

The minister said in his reply that considering such proposals would need a conscious decision in its perspective keeping all factors in view.

At present the retirement age for judges and Chief Justices of High Courts is 62 years and in case of Supreme Court judges is 65 years.

According to Mr Jain, a lawyer by profession, at the last conference of judges there were some suggestions to raise the retirement age of judges of High Courts and bring it on par with those of the Supreme Court.

By doing so, they felt that it could, to certain extent, reduce the burden caused by a number of vacancies that existed in High Courts.

Centre mulls flyover plan

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, Nov 30: The Union Government is considering the proposal to construct a flyover over the transport chowk, between Sector 26 and 28 of Chandigarh.
This was stated by the local MP Satya Pal Jain, after he received a written reply from the Union Minister of State for Surface Transport, Devendra Pradhan, in response to his question on the issue. Pradhan aid that the flyover was estimated to be constructed at a cost of Rs 19.63 crore, which could take about three years for completion.