`War-Like Preparedness’ To Deal With The Massive Covid Spike :Capt. Amarinder Singh Announces Emergency Measures

Calling for `war-like preparedness’ to deal with the massive Covid spike in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday ordered a series of emergency measures, including extension of weekend lockdown with daily night curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. in all  the 167 cities/towns in the state from tomorrow 21st August.

He has also ordered a total ban on all gatherings except weddings and funerals across the state till August 31. Government and private offices will work at 50% capacity till the end of this month, as per the directives issued by the Chief Minister during a Video Conference meeting with top officials to review the Covid situation in the state, which is witnessing a massive increase in daily cases and an increase in deaths.

Captain Amarinder also directed the concerned officials to restrict public visitors in government officials and to encourage the use of online grievance redressal system, which has been significantly strengthened by the state government to minimise in-person contact with hassle-free online engagement.

In the five worst affected districts of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and SAS Nagar (Mohali), restrictions on vehicular capacity have been imposed again, with buses and other public transport to operate with 50% capacity and private four-wheelers not allowed to carry more than three passengers per vehicle. The Chief Minister has also directed the DCs  in these five districts to allow only 50% of the non-essential shops to open on a daily basis to check crowding.

“Enough is enough,” said Captain Amarinder, adding that “we need to be tough without affecting the state’s economic activity.” Pointing to the 920  Covid deaths reported in the state so far, he said “each death pains me, and the projections for the coming weeks are grim.”

The Chief Minister said the state is in an `health emergency’ situation, necessitating harsh measures, which might have to be further intensified in the coming days to curb the Covid spread.  Though the cases were currently concentrated mainly in urban areas, rural areas were also witnessing an increase, he said, adding that if needed, travel restrictions may have to be imposed.

http://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=106900

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Italy's Sikh Slaves:The Exploitation of Sikh Agricultural Workers in Italy By Organised Crime Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic.

The vast agricultural plains of the Agro-Pontino in central Italy is now one of the country's main areas of food production.

This 100 mile-long stretch of land facing the Tyrrhenian Sea was marshland until a century ago when fascist dictator Benito Mussolini organised a mass migration from northern Italy to drain the swamps and turn them into fertile farmland.

Sikh Workers Toiling in Fields Get Just Half a Day Off A Week, With Most of Them Spending That Time in The Local Gurdwara.

Mostly Sikhs from Punjab in northern India, they are economic migrants who have come here to work in local farms and send money home to give their families a better life.

Some manage to do just that. But for many others, their dreams are crushed.Instead, they face abuse and exploitation from both profit-driven agri-businesses and organised crime - labouring for pitiful wages, often without official documentation, and trapped in a system from which there is no escape.

https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2020/08/italy-sikh-slaves-200819073932216.html

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Pardon to Langah:Akal Takht summons Taksal’s Media Adviser

                         Sarchand Singh

Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has summoned Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal’s media adviser Sarchand Singh on August 22 for his alleged role in granting pardon to excommunicated former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah. Besides, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has taken action against its five employees for their involvement in the pardon row.

                                Sucha Singh Langah

Langah, who also served as a member of the SGPC, was excommunicated in October 2017 as the Sikh clergy found him guilty of misconduct and violation of the Sikh tenets after a video allegedly showing him in an objectionable position with a woman was widely shared on social media. He was pardoned by the ‘panj pyaras’ (five beloved ones of the Guru) at Gurdwara Baba Banda Singh Bahadar in Gurdaspur district on August 3.

Confirming the development, Jaspal Singh, personal assistant of Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said: “He (Sarchand Singh) has been asked to submit his clarification on August 22. If his reply is unsatisfactory, the five Sikh clergies will take against him as per the maryada.”

Acting on a report of the probe panel, SGPC has taken departmental action against five of its employees for their involvement in the pardon row.

The next meeting of the Sikh clergy is expected to be held by month-end to take action against the remaining persons, said the PA to jathedar.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pardon-to-langah-takht-summons-taksal-s-media-adviser-sgpc-takes-action-against-5-employees/story-srVrV99ZFBizegMziUpxpK.html

http://sikhsindia.blogspot.com/2020/08/declared-tankhayia-duo-says-did-no.html

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Swacch Survekshan Awards 2020 : Amritsar City Ranked The Second Cleanest City in Punjab After Ludhiana

                  Amritsar second cleanest city in Punjab after Ludhiana

Amritsar city was ranked the second cleanest city in Punjab after Ludhiana, slotted 39 and 34, respectively, among 47 cities across the country with a population of more than 10 lakh in the Swacch Survekshan Awards 2020.(Getty Images)

Amritsar city was ranked the second cleanest city in Punjab after Ludhiana, slotted 39 and 34, respectively, among 47 cities across the country with a population of more than 10 lakh in the Swacch Survekshan Awards 2020 announced on Thursday. The city also registered a steep rise up the rankings from 184 last year and 208 in 2018.

However, authorities can hardly afford to be complacent as Amritsar still has a long way to go. Garbage remains piled up in many parts of the city, most public toilets are in a bad shape with no maintenance or water supply. Plastic is yet to be banned and there are not enough dustbins and cleaning equipment. The green belts are unkempt and require proper care.

“We are working on numerous cleanliness projects in the city as our ranking is not up to the mark. We have hired a new private company for looking after cleanliness in the city and efforts are being made to get a more improved ranking next year,” Commenting on the matter, municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Komal Mittal said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/amritsar-second-cleanest-city-in-punjab-after-ludhiana/story-sz7eA6N2h5pkHcpPmdP2fP.html

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

गुरुद्वारा मजनू का टीला मार्ग खोले दिल्ली सरकार - कुलवंत सिंह बाठ

नई दिल्ली, 20 अगस्तः दिल्ली में सिखों के पहले गुरू श्री गुरु नानक देव जी व छटे गुरू हरगोबिंद साहिब जी की याद में स्थापित ऐताहिसक गुरुद्वारा, गुरुद्वारा मजनू का टिला के सामने जी.टी रोड का मार्ग दिल्ली सरकार के मुखिया श्री अरविंद केजरीवाल ने दिल्ली पुलिस के साथ मिलकर बंद करा दिया है। जिस कारण दिल्ली के सिक्खों में भारी रोष पैदा हो गया है।

दिल्ली सिख गुरुद्वारा के कार्यवाहक अध्यक्ष स. कुलवंत सिंह बाठ ने अरविंद केजरीवाल को मांग करते हुए कहा कि दिल्ली, पंजाब व हरियाणा से हजारों की संख्या में श्रद्धालु गुरुद्वारा साहिब में माथा टेकने व गुरु साहिब के चरणों में अरदास करने के लिए आते हैं। वर्षों से सिख धर्म के लोगों द्वारा यहाँ पर खालसा पंथ का स्थापना दिवस वैसाखी का पर्व भी बड़ी धूमधाम से मनाया जाता है। लेकिन दिल्ली सरकार की कुटिल नीतियों के कारण गुरुद्वारा साहिब के सामने का मार्ग बंद किये जाने से आज श्रद्धालुओं को समस्या का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। स. बाठ ने अरविंद केजरीवाल द्वारा दिल्ली के सिखों के साथ सौतेला व्यवहार किये जाने की निंदा करते हुए कहा है कि एक तरफ तो केजरीवाल कहते हैं कि हम सभी धर्मों का आदर करते हैं । लेकिन वहीं पर दिल्ली के सिखों के साथ उनका सौतेला व्यवहार उनकी कथनी और करनी में अंतर प्रकट करता है।

दिल्ली कमेटी के कार्यवाहक अध्यक्ष स. कुलवंत सिंह बाठ ने केजरीवाल को अपील करते हुए कहा है कि अगर केजरीवाल को गुरुद्वारा साहिब का मार्ग बंद करना है तो दिल्ली सरकार को गुरुद्वारे के सामने तत्काल फ्लाई ओवर बनाना चाहिए। जब तक फ्लाई ओवर नहीं बनता तब तक इस मार्ग को संगत के लिए खोल देना चाहिए। तांकि गुरुद्वारा साहिब में आने वाले श्रद्धालुओं को सामस्या का सामना ना करना पड़े स. बाठ ने आम आदमी पार्टी के सांसद भगवंत मान की चुप्पी पर भी सवाल खड़ा करते हुए कहा कि स. मान जो हर बात में सोशल मीडिया पर लाईव होकर अपना महिमामंडन करते हैं उनके द्वारा भी गुरुद्वारा मजनू का टीला के मार्ग बंद किये जाने पर भी कोई प्रतिक्रिया ना दिये जाना हैरान करता है।

 

News Courtesy,
SudeepcSingh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

Turban Traveller: Amarjeet Singh Chawla Drove Delhi-London In The Most Epic Road Trip

 Singh Chawla traveled from Delhi to London in his car. He traveled for 40,000 Kms, 30 Countries in 148 Days.

This unreal travel journey of The Turban Traveller is most definitely crazy!

                His Name is Amongst 20 Inspiring Sikhs Worldwide

This 60-year-old Sikh man covered 40,000 Kms, 30 Countries in 148 Days and his passion for travel is unimaginable! Amarjeet Singh Chawla drove all the way from Delhi to London in his SUV car!!

In 2018 July, Amarjeet Singh set out his journey for this adventurous trip from Delhi to London. He started from India to Nepal and further drove to China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Poland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Monaco, France, Netherlands, Denmark and reached London.

 

He finally completed this journey in the month of December after 6 months of driving around in his Toyota SUV. His car became such an important part of his journey, it was turned into a scrapbook where people could write well wishes, notes, sign on it and even take pictures standing alongside it.

 

It took Amarjeet almost four months of proper planning for his trip, making the itinerary, deciding the pitstops, arranging for visas and god knows what else. But it is true what people say, passion can drive you crazy! 

But his expedition was not all that easy, he faced some rocky times. He fell ill when he was in Estonia, the left side of this body had turned numb and that is when he realized he cannot travel further without proper treatment. He returned to India immediately. He was fortunate enough to find an Indian family in Estonia who let him park the car until he returned. Through these times his family and friends were immensely supportive; he was back on his feet within weeks and managed to reach Estonia to continue his expedition.

 

In his interview with Better India, he mentioned that his visa was nearing expiry when he was in Mexico. “Fortunately, the Indian ambassador helped me with that. That was the beauty of the trip. At any point throughout the journey, whenever I stumbled upon precarious situations, help was always nearby,” . Nothing stops a man who is driven with dedication, passion and the pure love to see the world.

 

                      Kiara Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan

On his journey, he even met famous Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger who signed his car and gave him his best wishes.

When he reached London, to his surprise, his family came there to receive him. Throughout his journey, he knew back home he has immense support and love. Even his old folks who had once denied him his travel dream were delighted to see their son in London. Well, this story doesn’t stop here , his family was upgraded to business class by the flight crew of British Airways.

https://curlytales.com/turban-traveller-amarjeet-singh-chawla-drove-delhi-london-backpacking/?read_more

 

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Gates Of Sri Hemkunt Sahib To Reopen For Devotees On September 4

Gates will reopen on September 4 All visitors are required to possess their negative coronavirus report and Uttrakhand Entry pass

      

 The gates of the Sikh shrine Sri Hemkunt Sahib are going to reopen on September 4. Usually, the gates of Sri Hemkunt Sahib are opened at the end of May month or in the start of June month, but this year the government didn’t give permission due to  the prevailing coronavirus pandemic.

           

Sri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust’s chairman Narinderjit Singh Bindra informed that the government has given permission to reopen the gates of Sri Hemkunt Sahib.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all corners of the world come to pay obeisance at Sri Hemkunt Sahib to receive blessings of Guru Sahib. 

Situated at an altitude of 15,197 feet, Sri Hemkunt Sahib is a Sikh shrine in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. It is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh master, and finds mention in the Dasam Granth. With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff.

https://www.sikh24.com/2020/08/20/gates-of-sri-hemkunt-sahib-to-reopen-for-sikh-sangat-on-september-4/#.Xz4PetwzbIU

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Dal Khalsa: Punjab Has Legitimate Ownership On Its River Waters, Digging Of SYL Next To Impossible.

    

Reiterating that the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal was planned against universally accepted riparian principles with an eye on looting the scarce water resources of Punjab, the Dal Khalsa said the digging of SYL was next to impossible and that the people of Punjab would not allow this to happen.

The Organization categorically stated that Punjab owns the waters of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas and no legislation or court could deprive the state of its legitimate right of ownership.

Party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the ghost of the SYL canal has cropped up again to haunt the people of Punjab. “We will defend the rights of the state at any cost,” he added.

“We won’t allow the Centre to further rob or take away the waters forcefully with state’s might and if it happens, we have a right to resist and fight back,” he maintained.

Disagreeing with the Punjab Chief Minister on the need for a fresh tribunal to make a fresh time-bound assessment of water availability, he said instead of opting for delaying tactics Captain Amrinder Singh should address the water problem of the state strictly based on riparian principle.

Dal Khalsa blamed the executive and the judiciary for muddling the Punjab river waters issue and vowed not to allow the construction of SYL at any cost.

He further added that the people of Punjab, particularly the agriculture community, was worried that despite the tall claims of politicians of all shades, more than 50 per cent (19 out of the 35 MAF) of Punjab’s water flows to other non-riparian states.

https://www.sikh24.com/2020/08/20/dal-khalsa-punjab-has-legitimate-ownership-on-its-river-waters-digging-of-syl-next-to-impossible/#.Xz4HKNwzbIU

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

 

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Expels Rajinder Singh Raja Who Left His Helpless Mother To Die Outside The House

Shiromani Akali Dal (D) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has expelled Rajinder Singh Raja Muktsar from the party for abusing his mother .He has also instructed his party workers not to have any connection with him.

          

                  Shiromani Akali Dal (D) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa

"When I and my Paty workers  marched to free the Shiromani Akali Dal from Badal, I appealed to the people of Punjab to support me," “At that time Rajinder Singh Raja Muktsar contacted me and expressed his desire to work in the party and I included him in the party. But it came to my notice that this man has kicked his mother out of the house and she was in a very bad condition,later she died. We have been and will continue to be the companions of people's suffering, so how can a person who does not belong to his mother belong to the people. People with such a character cannot stay in our party”.

No party worker should have any connection with Rajinder Singh Raja Muktsar as he no longer has any connection with the party.

http://www.dainiksaveratimes.com/News.php?Story=Sukhdev-Singh-Dhindsa-Exits-Rajinder-Singh-Raja-From-Party

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi