HC stay on colony in ‘green zone’

Chandigarh, March 3
PUDA’s plan of developing a colony in Fazilka was put on hold by Punjab and Haryana High Court after it directed the authorities to maintain status quo.
The directions came after a social worker, Navdeep Asija, sought judicial intervention in the matter, stating that the new colony was being developed under eco-sensitive zone of Badha Lake wetland.
The petitioner said the decision of developing the colony on the banks of Badha Lake wetland was solely aimed at earning revenue. The decision would destroy hundreds of grownup trees, which provide natural shelter, biodiversity and ecological balance in Fazilka, which is home to national bird peacocks as well, counsel for the petitioner APS Shergil stated.

Govt, Jats strike deal, quota stir called off

Chandigarh, March 3
The Haryana Government can finally heave a sigh of relief with Jats agreeing to call off their ongoing agitation demanding the Other Backward Classes status for the community.
The decision to end the stir was taken after the 26-member committee, spearheading the protest in the state, arrived at a “compromise” with the government following a four-hour meeting at Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s residence here today.
Sources said according to the compromise worked out between Hooda and the committee headed by Nafe Singh Nain, the Haryana Government has agreed to forward the recommendations of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission to the Centre. The commission is yet to submit its report.
The contours of the agreement between the Jats and the government were not disclosed by either side and will be formally announced tomorrow at Mayyar in Hisar where the protesters are camping.
Talking to The Tribune, the secretary of the committee, Kuldeep Dhanda, confirmed that a compromise had been struck and the Jats will call off their agitation tomorrow. “The talks were held amicably and the agitation will be called off after we make the agreement public in Mayyar tomorrow,” revealed Dhanda.
While all the members of the Nain-led committee were present at the meeting , the government team led by Hooda comprised Haryana Public Works Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dharambir Singh and former Member of Parliament Jai Prakash. Surjewala said, “The delegation held a discussion with the Chief Minister in a cordial atmosphere and their issues were resolved amicably.”
The government seems to have won the final round after talks twice failed in the past, once in Delhi and then again in Pipli (Kurukshetra) last week, after Jats pressed for an assurance from Hooda that the government would implement the OBC quota in the state before forwarding the recommendation to the Centre.
The agitation had started on February 19 after the six-month deadline by the Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, announced in September last year, ended. The Samiti was supported by the khaps this time. However, mid-way through the agitation, the khaps decided to take matters in their own hands owing to a spilt in the Samiti.

Lt-Gen Bikram Singh next Army Chief

General Bikram Singh

To take over on May 31, when COAS General VK Singh retires

New Delhi, March 3
General Bikram Singh, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Indian Army. Ending months of speculation, the Ministry of Defence today made a formal announcement saying he will be the next Chief of Army Staff and will take over on May 31.
The ministry made a formal announcement this evening. Lt Gen Bikram Singh will be second-ever Sikh, after General JJ Singh (retd), to command the 1.3 million-strong Indian Army.
The ministry’s spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in a statement: “Lt Gen Bikram Singh, has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of May 31, 2012. He will succeed the present, General VK Singh, who retires from the service on May 31 2012”.
The present Army Chief, General VK Singh superannuates on May 31. The process to announce the Army Chief is normally done in advance. In this case the Government has strictly followed the principle of seniority.
At present, Lt Gen Bikram Singh is heading the Eastern Army Command and is stationed at Kolkata. The security of the sensitive North-East and the Eastern states is under his domain of duties.
The Army-chief-designate was the Delhi-based spokesperson of the Indian Army during the Kargil conflict in May-July 1999. At that time he was a Colonel and was on the verge of being promoted as a Brigadier.
The retirement date of the present Army Chief had led to all sorts of theories in the past few months. It was only on February 10 this year that the Supreme Court refused to reconcile the date of birth (DoB) of General VK Singh. It said the DoB would remain as May 10 1950 and not May 10, 1951 as claimed by Gen VK Singh.
Had the apex court accepted the DoB of May 10, 1951, then General VK Singh would have retired after completion of a three-year tenure that is March 31, 2013. In that scenario Lt Gen KT Parnaik, the present Northern Army commander, would have been the next Chief as Lt Gen Bikram Singh would have retired in the intervening period.
An Army Chief retires at 62 years of age while all Lieutenant Generals retire at 60 years of age.
Had General VK Singh quit after the February 10 SC order, Lt Gen Shankar Ghosh would have been the senior-most officer. Unfortunately for Gen Shankar Ghosh, he retires the same day as Gen VK Singh.
Lt Gen Bikram Singh, the Army-chief-designate, was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry (Sikh LI) regiment on March 31, 1972.
During his distinguished career, he has headed the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Lt Gen Bikram Singh has served as deputy force commander of a multi-nation UN peace keeping mission in Congo. He had also served as UN observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 1990s.
His long list of decorations include a Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), a Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), an Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and a Vishist Seva Medal (VSM).
Lt Gen Bikram Singh has studied with distinction at the Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College and the US Army War College, Pennsylvania. He has also done an M.Phil in Defence Management from the Indore University.
He is married to Surjeet Kaur, who is a housewife. The couple has two sons.

Punjabi singer K S Makhan was sent to jail

Punjabi singer K S Makhan was sent to jail by a local court on Friday when he appeared in the court in connection with a case registered against him under NDPS Act for allegedly smuggling Heroin to Canada, where he was staying, in 2006.
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Jalandhar,3 MAR (Press Public News):-Punjabi singer KS Makhan, accused in a drug trafficking case, landed behind bars today after he appeared before the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge.Makhan appeared in the court in a case registered against him under the NDPS Act in 2006 at the Nakodar police station. He was accused of running a network of smuggling heroin from Canada.The police had booked Makhan after nabbing his aide Rajwinder Singh for his alleged involvement in drug trade.Makhan's counsel Vijay Bhushan Mehta said the Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted a bail to him in August, 2011, following which he joined the police investigations.The police presented a challan against him and the court summoned him for personal appearance. Mehta alleged that the police submitted a false report about Makhan, following which the proceedings to declare him a proclaimed offender (PO) were initiated. 

40k Indians may be allowed to work in Europe

London, March 2
At least 40,000 Indians may be allowed to work in Europe, including 12,000 in Britain alone, under a secret trade plan between the European Union and New Delhi, a media report said, citing leaked documents.
The EU has proposed that 40,000 Indian workers will be admitted to Europe without any labour market test as part of the plan to boost export trade with New Delhi, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported, quoting a leaked copy of the EU/India Free Trade Agreement, which is due to be signed later this year.
Central to the agreement is the EU’s offer on what is known as “Mode 4”, which will allow Indian companies to bring temporary workers into the EU, the newspaper said.
According to the leaked papers, out of 40,000 Indians who would be allowed to work in Europe, Britain has been asked to take 12,000, which is 30 per cent of the total allocation, despite the UK making up 12 per cent of the EU’s population.
The 12,000 Indian migrants, who would be able to live and work in Britain for six months, will be in addition to people given visas under Britain’s supposedly strict immigration cap, the newspaper said.
A large number of beneficiaries will be IT workers who already arrive in Britain from India in large numbers, the report added. According to EU officials, in return for opening up the jobs market, countries such as Britain will be helped to land lucrative export deals.
The negotiations on the India deal, first initiated by Former EU Trade Commissioner Lord Mandelson in 2007 and subsequently led by the Business Department, was going on in the shadows for years, the daily said.