IEP Chandigarh, September 17

As part of its ongoing decisive war against drugs and anti-social elements waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police on Saturday conducted a massive state-level Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) in all the 28 Police districts of Punjab, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here.”The idea behind conducting these operations is to instill a sense of safety and security among the common people and to effect the seizure of drugs,” he said.The operation was conducted from 11am to 3pm simultaneously across the state and ADGP/IGP rank officers from Punjab Police Headquarters were deputed in each Police district to personally supervise the operation.Giving out more details, the DGP said that the operation included all the CPs/SSPs of the concerned districts have mobilised maximum manpower for this operation, he said, adding that as many as 200 Gazetted Officers and 7500 NGOs/EPOs were deputed to conduct this operation.He said that the CPs/SSPs had identified hotspots where drugs are prevalent or certain areas which have become shelter/safe haven for criminals and anti-social elements, to carry out this operation amid massive deployment of the police force. The operation was conducted at at least 227 identified hotspots.DGP Gaurav Yadav said that during the CASO operations a thorough search of suspected houses was conducted under the supervision of ADGsP/IGsP and CPs/SSPs, while ensuring minimum inconvenience to the public. “All the police personnel were strictly instructed to deal with every resident in a friendly and polite manner during the course of this operation,” he added.The DGP said that the Chief Minister Punjab Bhagwant Mann has mandated the Punjab Police to make Punjab a crime-free and drug-free state. He said that extensive drives against drugs and anti-social elements have been launched to combat the menace of drugs and root out gangsters from the border State. Such operations would continue till the menace of drugs and Gangsters wiped out from Punjab, he reiterated.”My message to all such anti-social elements to voluntarily leave the state otherwise the Punjab Police will deal them with a heavy hand,” the DGP warned.Meanwhile, these types of operations are part of the basic policing which includes keeping vigil in vulnerable spots and advance preparation to tackle any untoward situation. Such operations also boost confidence among common people, besides, helping in activating and mobilising the Police force. 

IEP Chandigarh/Fatehgarh Sahib September 17

Cabinet minister Dr. Inderbir Nijjar visited a  progressive farmer of village Sadhugarh and show cased his environment friendly techniques for others to emulate. Surjit Singh Sadhugarh, irrigates his  crop with raingun technology and instead of burning the stubble in the ground, he ploughs it back into the soil, thereby enriching it for the next crop. The minister while speaking to media persons said that this farmer is  a source of inspiration for other farmers .

He further said that these techniques can be successful only if they are popularized at the grassroots level because a large number of the population of Punjab is engaged in agriculture and there is a great need to make agriculture profitable and economically empower the farmers. 

Dr. Nijjar appealed to the farmers that instead of burning the paddy stubble, it should be preferred to plough it in the field because by doing this, while the fertility of the land increases, the friendly insects of the farmers also survive.  Farmers are also saved from using unnecessary fertilizers whereas by burning the stubble where the biggest loss is to the farmer and there is also a risk of getting various diseases.

The minister also said, that in this age of information technology, science has made  progress and  agriculture can be made profitable and economical by using modern technologies.  T

He further said that the rate at which the underground water level is going down day by day is a matter of serious concern for all of us and if we do not take any concrete steps to stop it now, the drinking water of the future generations will be affected.  There will be no water left.  He said that we should also encourage others to conserve water properly.

The cabinet minister said that the government of Punjab Chief Minister  Bhagwant Singh Mann is a farmer-friendly government in the true sense and the Aam Aadmi Party government will not allow any kind of problem to the farmers.  He said that it is our responsibility to hold the arm of the farmer who is the breadwinner of our country and we assure that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the farmers in every hour of need.

On this occasion, Constituency MLA S. Lakhbir Singh Roy said that modern technologies can be beneficial only if they are promoted and made within the reach of every farmer.  He said that with the Raingun method, where there is saving of underground water, there is also an increase in the yield of the crop.  He said that these technologies can be successful only if they are brought to every farmer.

IEP Chandigarh, September 17

The Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is working diligently towards ensuring best health care facilities to children. Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra said that Health Department is all set to vigorously launch SNID pulse polio campaign for which 11,865 teams had been formed by the Health Department. Under this campaign as many as 1,483,072 children 0 to 5 years (including migratory children) will be given oral polio vaccine drops during the sub-national vaccination round of the Pulse Polio campaign from September 18 to 20.

A virtual meeting of the State Task Force of various officers and stakeholders was held, in which Preparedness for smooth conduct of this immunisation round was evaluated thoroughly.

The Minister said that this campaign would be carried out in 12 districts of Punjab namely Amritsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar, SBS Nagar, Pathankot, Patiala and Tarn Taran.

Giving details, Mr. Jouramajra stated that on 18th September 2022 booth activity and on 19 September and 20th september door-to-door activities would be carried out in 12 districts with special emphasis on coverage of all high risk areas such as factories, brick kilns, slums, bus stands, construction sites and railway stations.

The Minister said that these teams would be headed by 1186 supervisors and overall supervision is to be done by state level health officers and he will keep a special eye on this campaign.

The Minister said that though India had been declared polio free by the World Health Organization on 27 March 2014, there is still a risk of import of polio virus from neighboring countries, where cases of the disease are still being reported. “Therefore, effective implementation of the pulse polio vaccination program is essential to protect our future generations from this disease,” he added.

IEP Chandigarh, September 17

Punjab Government all geared up for smooth paddy procurement this season.  Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal held a high level meeting with Mandi Baord officials and market committee secretaries here at Mandi Baord Bhawan to discuss the preparations made by Mandi Baord for hassle free procurement.

          Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is committed to purchase and lift every single grain of paddy and provide best facilities in the grain markets.

Agriculture Minister directed the officials to run a special campaign for clearing all illegal encroachments from grain markets. He also asked to make all requisite arrangements to facilitate farmers and other stakeholders i.e cleanliness, drinking water, lighting, toilets, etc.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that Punjab Government has directed the district administrations not to leave any stone unturned to make proper arrangements in all the 1806 purchase centres across the state.

The Agriculture Minister asked the ACS Agriculture Sarvjit Singh and Special Principal Secretary CM Secretary Mandi Baord Ravi Bhagat to be in touch with Deputy commissioner to make all necessary arrangements for procurement during this paddy season.

During the meeting the authorities informed that for the paddy procurement through Market Committees of the state, besides the officials from the head office and field staff would also perform duties to ensure smooth functioning of the procurement operations.

IEP Chandigarh September 17

Keeping in view the zero tolerance policy against corruption adopted by the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau during its ongoing campaign has arrested a private person Karamjit Singh Kamma red handed accepting bribe of Rs.5,000 on behalf of ASI Harpreet Singh posted at AntiTheft Police Station PSPCL, Ludhiana.          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the accused ASI Harpreet Singh and Karamjit Singh have been arrested on the complaint of Tarlochan Singh resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, district Fatehgarh Sahib.          Giving details he informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above mentioned ASI was demanding bribe of Rs 15,000 to settle his domestic power theft case but the deal was struck at Rs 5,000.          The spokesperson added that after verification of the facts submitted by the complainant, a VB team caught Karamjit Singh red handed, who has accepted the bribe money of Rs 5,000 on behalf of Harpreet Singh ASI, from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.          He further informed that in this regard a case FIR No. 15 dated 16.09.2022 u/s 7, 7A of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at VB police station Flying Squad-1, Punjab at SAS Nagar and further investigation is under progress. 

IEP Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, September 17

Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Minister for Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab today inspected various projects being implemented by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation. In the northern sub mountainous area of Punjab, where agriculture is mostly rainfed, the department has constructed several check dams for harvesting of runoff water which is later utilized by the farmers for irrigating crops during the lean period. These projects also help to arrest soil erosion and augment ground water.

 Disclosing this an official spokrsperson of the Punjab Government said that during the visit, earthen check dams located in Paroul and Burana villages of Majri, Mohali were visited by the Minister. Interacting with the beneficiaries of the projects he praised the initiatives of the department for providing them assured irrigation through these check dams. Dr. Nijjar also commended these projects and said that besides conserving water, these dams are also helping the environment by improving soil moisture regime in the catchment thereby increasing the vegetation cover. Pertinent to mention here that Government scheme for construction of check dams was closed during 2003-04, but with the special efforts of minister, a new scheme has been sanctioned for integrated development of kandi area under which 50 such new check dams will be constructed.

The Minister directed the department that efforts should be made to bring more and more area under such irrigation techniques so that we can equip ourselves for the future water crisis in the state.