THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

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TOP STORIES

Cong fields Kathu Nangal in Majitha
MAJITHA, Jan 30 — Mr Amarinder Singh, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today fielded Mr Sawinder Singh Kathu Nangal as party candidate for the Majitha byelection, scheduled to be held on February 19 while Mr Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha, a Rajya Sabha member filed his nomination papers as an Akali candidate in the presence of Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

• PPCC complains to CEC on poll code violation

• Amarinder’s offer to Badal

• SHSAD to work for rout of SAD-BJP candidate

• Rival Akalis not to contest

• SAD PAC to meet on Feb 8

• BJP sets up panel for byelection

• 3 more in fray for Majitha

Arora new Chief Secy of Punjab
CHANDIGARH, Jan 30 — Mr Naresh Kumar Arora, an IAS officer of the 1965 batch, will take over as the new Chief Secretary of Punjab here tomorrow. He will replace Mr R.S. Mann, who will be retiring on attaining the age of superannuation. Mr Arora will also hold charge of the Department of Personnel and Vigilance, as is traditionally held by the Chief Secretary.

Jalandhar Mayor removed
JALANDHAR, Jan 30 — Pandemonium prevailed in the 60-member House of the local Municipal Corporation as the BJP suffered a major jolt when its Mayor Suresh Sehgal was “removed” but the confused and reluctant bureaucracy tried to play safe by not making a declaration to this effect and by sending its “report” about today’s four-hour show to the Punjab Local Bodies Department high-ups for “necessary” action.

Trucks with relief, doctors leave for Kutch PATIALA, Jan 30 — The district administration here has offered to take care of 500 Kutch residents who have been injured in the earthquake. It has also sent a team of 25 doctors, besides food, medicine and clothing worth Rs 30 lakh in 10 trucks, to the quake-hit parts of Kutch. This offer has been made after a request by Gujarat in this regard. Punjab to run community kitchen at Bhuj Punjab sets up special relief network

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, flags off trucks carrying relief material to Gujarat, in Patiala on Tuesday.  — Photo by Subhash Patialvi.

BJP leaders yet to be held
DSP to probe case of assault on cop
FEROZEPORE, Jan 30 — The two BJP leaders — Mr Charan Dass Handa and Mr Hari Dass Chauhan — are yet to be arrested for allegedly tearing the uniform of an Assistant Sub-Inspector, Mr Satnam Singh, here on January 23.

POLITICS

Kaura quits BJP, floats front
FEROZEPORE, Jan 30 — The Punjab BJP today suffered a major setback when the suspended party leader, Mr Jagmohan Kaura, announced his decision to float a new front under the banner “BJP (Democratic)”.

COMMUNITY

Census not mere headcount
CHANDIGARH, Jan 30 — The second phase of the census of India — population enumeration — begins on February 9. The first phase — house-listing operation —was completed in May last year.

Silence on mother tongue issue
CHANDIGARH, Jan 30 — With the census less than a fortnight away , the silence of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal , its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee over the issue of the recording of one’s mother tongue is baffling.

Talwandi to meet PM over jathas to Pak
NEW DELHI, Jan 30 —Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Jagdev Singh Talwandi will meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee here on February 6 to plead for help in restoring the sole prerogative of the Sikh religious body over the sending of Sikh pilgrim jathas to the historical gurdwaras in Pakistan.

Singhal granted anticipatory bail
PATIALA, Jan 30 — A Punjabi University management teacher, Dr K.C. Singhal, who was removed from headship of the University Business Management School by the Syndicate recently, has been granted anticipatory bail by a local court in a case involving “illegalities” committed by him in hosting an alumni meet in October, 1999, following a case being registered against him by the university authorities.

Army to raise eco-force for Harike
FEROZEPORE, Jan 30 — An Ecological Task Force of Territorial Army is likely to be raised for the conservation and maintenance of the Harike wetland near here. The draft proposal of the task force is ready for discussion between the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the Punjab government and the Army. Sources in the state government revealed that the task force is proposed to be raised at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 crore.

Apostle of truthful transparency
HIS transparent honesty, ability, humility and belief in Insaniat was utmost. Yes, a more courteous man yet to meet was Pandit Mul Raj Sharma known as the Doaba Ka Gandhi whose 18th death anniversary falls today. It is difficult to write about such persons. His uprighteousness with a strength of no allurements to personal benefits is worth remembering. He was a great reformer and a social worker who believed in truthful transparency in each field of life especially in politics. 

Punjab sops for ex-servicemen
CHANDIGARH, Jan 30 — At a meeting of the Punjab Rajya Sainik Board held under the chairmanship of the Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), the state government today decided to enhance the grant for the marriage of the daughters of ex-servicemen to Rs 8,000 from Rs 5,000 and for orphan daughters to Rs 15,000.

Kisan Aram Ghar in bad shape
BATHINDA: There is a Kisan Bhavan in the City Beautiful where farmers visiting the city stay. But Kisan Aram Ghar here presents an ugly picture of official apathy which has led to the deterioration of the posh bungalow constructed especially for the farmers.

Power shutdown
BATHINDA, Jan 30 — The power supply would remain cut-off in some areas of the city tomorrow from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. due to some necessary repairs.

ADMINISTRATION

Centre notice to Punjab on forest land
CHANDIGARH, Jan 30 — The Centre has issued notice to the Punjab Government for giving a protected forest on lease to a private company to build an amusement park. This relates to leasing of forest land near a bridge over the Bhakra main line connecting Patiala-Sangrur road. The Union Ministry of Environment & Forests said this was in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act,1980. 

• Additional charge for Sudhir Mittal
  
  

CRIME

Fisticuffs in Central Jail; 30 prisoners injured
FEROZEPORE, Jan 30 — At least 30 prisoners are learnt to have been injured in an alleged dispute at Ferozepore Central Jail last evening. This is the second such incident reported from the jail in the past three months, the earlier one being in November last.

Gang of cheats busted
GURDASPUR, Jan 30 — The police has unearthed a racket involved in extorting money from innocent persons on the plea of getting them jobs. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, today said all the members of the gang identified as Chhajju Ram, Ram Kumar Oberai and Sat Pal, all residents of Dhariwal, had been arrested.

Mishap unearths cheating racket
BATHINDA, Jan 30 — A road accident near Barnala crossing on the Bathinda-Chandigarh road which claimed four lives on January 25 has proved a boon for the Bathinda district police as it has succeeded in busting a gang of cheats who have been investing money earned through illegal means to set up a convent school in a village in the district.

4 traders booked for encroachment
BATHINDA, Jan 30 — The local Municipal Council authorities have succeeded in getting criminal cases registered against four shopkeepers who have allegedly encroached upon the corridors of Gandhi Ground Market by raising permanent structures.

Proclaimed offender arrested
BATHINDA, Jan 30 — The district police has arrested a proclaimed offender needed in two cases of smuggling of narcotics. According to a press note of the police, Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Janta Nagar in the city, was declared a proclaimed offender by the Additional Sessions Judge, Bathinda, in 1999. He dodged the police for more than a year but was trapped yesterday and has been sent to judicial custody.