THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

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TOP STORIES

PAC of SAD to meet on Jan 27
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24 — The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who briefly discussed the preparations, to be made for the Majitha byelection with his senior party colleagues here today, has convened a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of the party in Amritsar on January 27.

Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar award for Dr Tarsem
PATIALA, Jan 24 — The Advisory Board of the State Languages Department, which met under the Presidentship of Mr R.S. Mann, Chief Secretary, at Chandigarh has selected Punjabi writers for various awards.

Growers want more canal water
ABOHAR: Fruit growers have concern over the inadequate supply of canal water. At a meeting held here they urged the government to direct the Department of Irrigation to consult agricultural and horticultural experts before finalising the schedule for canal closures. They were also of the view that technology for preparing juice from kinnow at the local level should be developed. 

ST on lotteries: tug of war continues
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24 — A tug of war between the Finance Department and the Excise and Taxation Department on the imposition of sales tax on state lotteries continues. The Directorate of Lotteries, which controls the lottery business in the state, falls within the jurisdiction of the Finance Department.

Varsity to set up drug research centres
PATIALA, Jan 24 — Punjabi University is in the process of setting up a drug and poison information centre, an institute for cardio-vascular sciences, therapeutic drug monitoring unit, and a centre for alternative system of medicines.

POLITICS

Jagmeet not loyal, alleges Brar
FARIDKOT, Jan 24 — Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, former Chief Minister Punjab and a senior Congress leader, has criticised Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, party MP and whip in the Lok Sabha, for levelling “false” charges against party leaders in the state. He alleged that Mr Jagmeet Singh had never remained sincere to the party and had shifted his stand from time to time for political gains. This could be verified from his previous record, he said.

Badal playing double game, says CPI
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24 — The secretary of the Punjab unit of the CPI, Dr Joginder Dayal, said today that if the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was honestly opposed to the WTO, he should withdraw from the NDA government at the Centre.

Assembly ‘disallows’ Chawla’s questions
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — Close on the heels of allegations of ‘disallowing’ questions of the CPI in the Assembly raised by Mr Hardev Singh Arshi, CPI MLA, Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, MLA of the ruling party BJP has alleged similar treatment to her starred questions.

Left activists stage dharna
FARIDKOT, Jan 24 — On a call by the Left Democratic Front, activists of the CPI and the CPM staged a dharna at the mini-secretariat here today in protest against the possibility of the Central Government dismissing the West Bengal Government under the Article 356 of the Constitution.

COMMUNITY

Probe irregularities, Railway Manager told
ABOHAR, Jan 24 — The Baroda House headquarter of Northern Railway has asked Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala, to inquire into the alleged mismanagement at the local railway station and remove discrepancies at the earliest.

Residents allege discrimination
MANSA, Jan 24 — Residents of the town have complained about the poor condition of road here. They said though tenders for road repair had been awarded to contractors work had been stopped without any reason.

GHTP plant closed for repair
LEHRA MOHABAT (Bathinda), Jan 24 — Unit two of Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant was closed on January 21 for carrying out minor repairs. Official sources said the unit was closed after taking permission from the Power Controller as it had tripped on the evening of January 21.

MP seeks judicial inquiry
BATHINDA, Jan 24 — Mr Bhan Singh Bhora, MP, today demanded that a judicial probe should be held into the shutting of unit two of the Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) a few days ago due to inadequate oil fuel as reported in a section of the Press.

Faridkot lawyers to hold protest
FARIDKOT, Jan 24 — The district Bar Association has decided to adopt a peaceful agitational approach to impress upon the Punjab Government to extend the boundaries of the district which was trifurcated into Moga, Muktsar and Faridkot districts in 1995.

Health insurance cover for cops
JALANDHAR, Jan 24 — After Pashupalika, a 24-hour animal rescue and rehabilitation centre, the Jalandhar police has come out with yet another novel project, “medisure”, with a view to providing health insurance cover to its 5,000-strong constabulary and other ranks.

Health for all, when and how?
SANGRUR, Jan 24 — As the Union Health Ministry had failed to achieve the target of Health for All by 2000 in the country, the Punjab unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) will initiate a significant discussion on the topic, “Health for all — when and how,” at its 56th state-level conference to be held at Amritsar on April 8.

Check-up camps for industrial workers
SANGRUR, Jan 24 — The district administration has drawn up a comprehensive plan for medical check-up of industrial workers throughout the district. Mr B.S. Shergill, Executive Magistrate, Sangrur, has been made coordinator for the programme.

Dealers flay kisan union leaders
MANSA, Jan 24 — Members of the district Union of the Punjab Seeds, Pesticides and Fertilisers Dealers Association closed their shops today and staged a dharna in the grain market to protest against the alleged dictatorial behaviour of the kisan union leaders. They alleged that union leaders advised the farmers not to pay the bills for seeds, pesticides or fertilisers.

Rashtri Mulazim Dal office-bearers
BARNALA, Jan 24 — Newly formed Rashtri Mulazim Dal has declared the office-bearers of its Punjab unit and executive committee following the finalisation of the same in its meeting here.

Cases with forum pile up
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — Following the resignation of the president of the District Consumer Redressal Forum, Mr M.S. Chawla, former Sessions Judge, cases lying pending with the forum are piling up.

Guru Ravi Dass function on Feb 8
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24 — The Punjab Government will organise a state-level function on the occasion of the parkash utsav of Guru Ravi Dass at Jalandhar on February 8, says a press release.

NFL workers hold dharna
BATHINDA, Jan 24 — Activists of the NFL Mazdoor Union staged a dharna in front of the main gate of the NFL plant in the city. The rallies were called by the Centre of Trade Unions.

Cultural show for delegates
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — Delegates from all over the world attending the international mathematics conference at Guru Nanak Dev University were treated to a gala cultural evening by the local BBK DAV College for Women.

• Zoo, Tiger Safari closed on R-Day
  
  

CRIME

2 held for smuggling willow bats
GURDASPUR, Jan 24 — Two inter-state smugglers involved in stealing and smuggling of willow bats and poppy husk have been arrested. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, today said the accused had been identified as Ranjit Singh of Kathua and Mohammad Amin of Anantnag. As many as 3,300 willow bats worth Rs 2.33 lakh have been seized from their possession.

Woman arrested for husband’s murder
TARN TARAN, Jan 24 — Hundreds of people who included a sizeable number of women, today demonstrated in front of the local City police station against the “murder” of a man by his wife. The people were demanding the arrest of all those responsible for the alleged murder.

2 petrol stations looted
JALANDHAR, Jan 24 — Three car-borne men looted cash at gunpoint from a petrol station without making payment of the fuel at K.S. filling station at Sarakpur on Shankar Road near Nakodar last night, police said. In a similar incident at Ram petrol station at Nawanpind Shaunkian, three men riding a scooter looted cash.

Revenge murder by granthi
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — Terror has gripped the residents of Tahli village after the murder of a granthi, Bhai Bhagwan Singh, by another granthi Kuldip Singh, of the same village. Reports revealed that the accused had been arrested but his accomplices were still at large. No granthi is ready to undertake ‘seva’ (religious service) in the village gurdwara, it is reported.

Jassi case: SI gets judicial remand
MALERKOTLA, Jan 24 — Sub-Inspector Joginder Singh, who is allegedly involve in the Jassi murder case was sent in judicial remand for eight days by Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate, Mr S.K. Sachdeva, here today.

Case against kisan leaders
RAMPURA PHUL (Bathinda), Jan 24 — The police today registered a case against the five members of the BKU (Ekta) who had yesterday forced certain bank officials to free one of the defaulters.

EDUCATION

Fee hike in Punjab colleges on cards
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — Even as the Minister for Higher Education, Master Mohan Lal, has been denying any move to hike college fees yet the fact remains the new fee structure could be announced in the near future.

Confusion over history course
LUDHIANA, Jan 24 — There is confusion over the “real” syllabus of history of Class X. While the examinations are barely a month away, the Punjab School Education Board is yet to settle the issue of “changed” history syllabus.

BDS interns on strike
FARIDKOT, Jan 24 — Sixty interns of the local Dashmesh Institute of Research of Dental Sciences are on strike for the past three days in protest against the non-recognition of the institute for the past eight years.

ITI students go on strike
FARIDKOT, Jan 24 — More than 400 students of the local Industrial Training Institute went on an indefinite strike today in protest against the shift in working days, hike in tuition fees and order on compulsory uniform in the institution.

Bawa reappointed
AMRITSAR, Jan 24 — The syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University has reappointed Dr R.S. Bawa, as Registrar of the university for another term of four years.