Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
No cure for Punjab’s drug problem
Chandigarh, Feb 10, 2012, (IANS):
From leading politicians to the Chief Election Commissioner to the Sikh’s mini-parliament, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, everyone expresses concern over the growing menace of drug abuse in Punjab but no one really suggests the cure.
The state, which is the food bowl of the country as it contributes over 60 per cent of grains (wheat and paddy) to the national kitty, has a widespread problem of drugs especially among youth.An earlier study by researchers at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, 250 km from here, estimated that “73.5 per cent of youth between 16 and 35 years are addicted to drugs.”
In the last couple of months, security agencies in Punjab have recovered nearly 75 kg of heroin, a high-end drug, worth over Rs 350 crore in the international market, said a Punjab police official. Heroin is smuggled mainly through the Afgha -nistan-Pakistan route, said an official from state anti-narcotics department.
“We have encountered the problem of liquor during elections in almost all states. But drug abuse is unique only to Punjab,” CEC S Y Qureshi said during the run up to the Jan 30 Assembly polls in the state.
State anti-narcotics department revealed that five weeks from the January polls, various agencies recovered nearly 50 kg of heroin apart from huge amount of unaccounted cash and illicit liquor. Punjab had accounted for 60 per cent of the total drugs seized in the country in 2010-11, it added.
with thanks : Deccan Herald : link in the headline for detailed news.
Friday, February 10, 2012
SGPC challenges HC order on Sehajdari Sikhs
Challenging the High Court order quashing the notification of the Centre banning Sehajdhari Sikhs from voting in SGPC elections, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court.
The recent Punjab and Haryana High Court order quashing the Centre notificaition banning Sehajdhari Sikhs from casting votes in the SGPC elections has affected the working of the Sikh body.
The order meant that the newly-elected house has not been able to hold its first meeting to elect its office bearers. The SGPC has not filed a writ petition against the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
with thanks : dayandnightnews : LINK in headline above for detailed news.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Pak should allow Sikh pilgrims to enter without visa: Sarna
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjeet Singh Sarna requested the Pakistan government on Tuesday to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit their religious places located in the neighbouring country without passport and visa.
“When a Kashmiri from India is allowed to enter on the basis of a certificate issued by an SDM to visit Pakistan, then why is a Sikh not allowed to visit religious places in Pakistan? We request them to allow us enter without passport or visa,” said Sarna in a press conference.
Sarna also revealed that he has received a letter from Pakistan government giving DSGMC permission for taking up any renovation work in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Lahore and Babay-de-Bairee in Sialkot. “We had requested the Pakistan government to allow us to take up renovation work in our Gurdwaras there. We managed to get permission now as I received a letter in this regard signed by Deputy Secretary Shrines Evacuee Trust Property Board, Government of Pakistan, Syed Faraz Abbas,” said Sarna.
with thanks : Deccan Herald : link in headline for detailed news.
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