30042022-TTB-01.qxd 4/29/2022 11:58 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO.118 | 20 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA EAM MEETS BHUTAN PM, DISCUSSES REGIONAL ISSUES NATION /thetribunechd PAK GROUPS AT WORK TO REVIVE TERROR IN JAMMU: INTEL J&K CORE SECTOR GROWTH SLOWS DOWN TO 4.3% IN MARCH BUSINESS LANKAN PREZ ‘AGREES’ TO REMOVE BROTHER AS PM WORLD saturday | 30 april 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Coal shortage worsens power crisis, demand at all-time high Curfew in Patiala as groups clash, leaving 4 injured Patiala, April 29 Four persons, including two police personnel, were injured when members of two religious groups clashed over a protest here this afternoon. The administration imposed a night curfew in the district to maintain peace. A week ago, Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) working president Harish Singla had announced an “anti-Khalistan march” in the city, which was opposed by Sikh hardliners. The police had asked both sides not to carry out any march. Amid rumours, Sikh hardliners today reached Kali Mata Mandir and both groups pelted each other with stones. In the melee, Sikh hardliners tried to enter the temple premises, where an unidentified person opened fire, injuring one of the protesters. INSIDE IN BRIEF Bail for Mevani, police pulled up for ‘false FIR’ NEW DELHI: Granting bail to Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani for allegedly assaulting a woman police officer, a Barpeta court pulled up Assam Police for lodging a “false FIR”. TNS 17 jailed for attacking HUDA team in G’gram GURUGRAM: A court sentenced AAP ex-councillor Nisha Singh and 16 others to RI of seven to 10 years for attacking a HUDA anti-encroachment team. INSIDE Panel okays Covovax for 12 to 17 age group NEW DELHI: A panel of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation on Friday recommended including Covovax for 12 to 17 years’ age group. TNS Tribune News Service REACHING OUT: PM Narendra Modi being honoured by a member of the Sikh delegation that he hosted at his New Delhi residence on Friday. ‘GRATEFUL FOR SIKHS’ CONTRIBUTIONS’ ■ PM Narendra Modi on Friday host- ed a Sikh delegation and asserted the community has been a strong link in ties with other nations. ■ Sikh Gurus are a source of inspi- ration and Sikh tradition is a living tradition of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, the PM said. INSIDE New Delhi, April 29 The power crisis today worsened in many states with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal flagging the issue to the Centre and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar meeting Union Power Minister RK Singh. Delhi claimed only a day’s coal stock was left in most power plants. State Power Minister Satyendra Jain raised the spectre of possible power disruptions in Delhi Metro and city hospitals should the crisis continue. “Delhi has reached the peak demand of 6,000 MW,” Jain said. After meeting Singh, Khattar said Haryana would work to revive generation from plants with which it has power-purchase pacts and continued on page 9 Day’s stock left: Delhi| Khattar turns to Centre Facing outages, Punjab farmers PEAK LOAD AT NEW HIGH OF 2,07,111 MW take to streets ■ The maximum national electricity demand touched 2,07,111 MW on Friday, an all-time high so far, the Union Ministry of Power said ■ The demand for April 28 was 2,04,653 MW, the previous high, as heatwave continues FUNCTIONING OF METRO, HOSPITALS TO BE HIT: DELHI Delhi said supplying coal was the Centre’s responsibility. “As against 450 rakes, there are 405. If crisis persists, power supply to Metro and hospitals will be hit,”minister Satyendra Jain said. CAPITAL SEES SECOND HOTTEST APRIL IN 72 YRS 750 MW PLANT TO COME UP IN YAMUNANAGAR Haryana has decided to set up a new unit of 750 MW at its Yamunanagar plant for which the Ministry of Power will extend all possible assistance Chandigarh, April 29 Farmers all over the state were on roads today, protesting erratic power supply at a time when they are preparing fields for sowing vegetables and paddy in June. Residents of various towns and villages also complained of unscheduled cuts. At several places, children did not attend school as water supply at their homes and schools was affected. A group of farmers gheraoed the residence of Power Minister Harbhajan Singh in New Amritsar. Farmers also gheraoed the office of Chief Engineer in Jalandhar. Ram Singh Bhainibaga, Mansa unit president of continued on page 9 Lt Gen Raju new Army Vice Chief New Delhi, April 29 Lieutenant General Baggavalli Somashekar Raju, the Director General Military Operations, will take over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on Sunday. An alumnus of Sainik School, Bijapur, and the National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Raju was commissioned into the Jat Regiment on December 15, 1984. In his career continued on page 9 Forward names for In recruitment case, Verma files 2 years on, China to allow elevation: CJI to HCs 2nd complaint against Khemka Indian students to return New Delhi, April 29 Highlighting the issue of vacancies in high courts, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana today urged high court Chief Justices to recommend names for elevation at the earliest. As many as 387 of the 1,104 posts of judge in high courts are vacant. “I request the Chief Justices of the high courts, which still have a number of vacancies, to forward the names for elevation at the earliest,” CJI Ramana said in his inaugural address at the 39th Chief Justices’ Confer- 387 VACANCIES Bhartesh Singh Thakur As many as 387 of the 1,104 posts of judge in high courts are vacant Chandigarh, April 29 The Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC) has lodged a second complaint against Ashok Khemka, Additional Chief Secretary, Science and Technology and Fisheries Department. The complaint has been filed with the Chief Secretary and the SHO of the Sector 5 police station, Panchkula, for alleged 16 illegal recruitments. The HSWC inquired into the issue after a reference was made to it by the state ❝ Due to our collective efforts, we could fill 126 vacancies in HCs in less than a year. Weexpect50 more appointments. NV Ramana, CJI ence being held in the national capital after six years. Hailing prompt response of the continued on page 9 Tribune News Service WILL CHECK RECORD FIRST ❝ Cannot comment without seeing the record, especially on a 12-year-old matter. Ashok Khemka, ADDL CHIEF SECY government on April 22. “I am yet to receive the communication,” said Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal. In 2009, 33 posts of district manager, assistant manager (quality control), technical assistant, manager (grade-I) and manager (grade-II) were advertised. Twenty-three candidates were selected and appointment letters issued to 22. The communication sent by the Secretary, HSWC, on the behalf of MD Sanjiv Verma, said it was Khemka who constituted the screening committee and approved reports. It added that no roster was followed for the posts of district manager, and the two continued on page 9 new delhi, April 29 In a relief to thousands of Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities, China today announced plans to allow the return of “some” of them who have been stranded in India for over two years following Covid visa and flight restrictions imposed by Beijing. After China’s decision, the Indian Embassy in Beijing circulated a Google form that needs to be filled on the mission’s website by May 8. The embassy said it intended to prepare a list of stu- dents, which would be shared with the Chinese side for their consideration. The collated information would be shared with the Chinese side, who would then verify the list and indicate whether the identified students could travel to China. The Chinese have conveyed that eligible students would need to unconditionally abide by Covid prevention measures. Over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine in Chinese colleges, are stuck in India. — TNS