THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

P U N J A B

TOP STORIES

SAD will win Majitha byelection, says Dhindsa
Phagwara, February 18
Union Fertiliser and Chemicals Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today asserted that the SAD-BJP combine candidate would win the Majitha byelection with a big margin and this victory would be a forerunner for the victory of the combine again during the general election next year.

End corruption, BJP tells Chief Minister
Chandigarh, February 18
The Punjab unit of the BJP is partially satisfied with the performance of the Badal Government. This was clear from the observations and comments made by its President, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, here today.

Low water levels hit power generation
Ropar, February 18
Power crisis looms large over the region, with the water levels at major hydel projects remaining lower than normal. Due to water shortage at the Gobind Sagar reservoir the flow of water to the Anandpur Sahib hydel canal was stopped on February 14.

Chief Secy’s agenda to make bureaucrats efficient
Phagwara, February 18
Mr N.K. Arora, Chief Secretary, Punjab, today said that he would try his best to make administrative services at all levels accountable, responsive and fair to people, speedy with efficient delivery system. To achieve it a catalogue performance would be prepared soon.

BJP ministers ‘patronise’ RSS-run schools
Zira (Ferozepore), February 17
With the BJP sharing power in Punjab, the RSS-run Sarvhitkari schools are also gaining through donations being doled out by ministers from their discretionary fund.

POLITICS

Kanshi predicts political realignment
Ludhiana, February 18
The Bahujan Samaj Party president, Mr Kanshi Ram, yesterday said there was every likelihood of realignment of political forces in the state before the Assembly elections. Mr Kanshi Ram was here to supervise the arrangements being made for the March 15 BSP rally.

COMMUNITY

Helping rehabilitate addicts
MANSA  
The district branch of the Indian Red Cross Society last year opened a 15-bedded deaddiction centre in a building in front of the office of the Civil Surgeon under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Previously, the building was occupied by police personnel, who have now been shifted to the new Secretariat building.

‘Cancel’ promotions to police cats
Jalandhar, February 18
Expressing concern over the “violation” of human rights in the state Justice Ajit Singh Bains, chairman of the Punjab Human Rights Organisation has urged the Punjab government to cancel promotions granted to the Punjab Police cats.

250 pets vie for prizes in dog show
Jalandhar, February 18
It was virtually a day of dogs as more than 250 of them of different breeds from Northern part of the country, descended on the local Guru Gobind Singh Stadium today to display skills for spectators and make their masters feel proud.

Coverage of sewerage tank sought
Bathinda, February 18
Residents of the Bharat Nagar locality of this town have been pressing the Improvement Trust authorities to make arrangements for the coverage of the sewerage water collecting tank and the construction of a high boundary wall around it.

Punjab fails to highlight quake relief effort
Chandigarh, February 18
The Punjab Government has failed to project its human face in the country and abroad with regard to the help extended by it to the earthquake victims in Gujarat.

Malta tragedy probe mission to protest
Phagwara, February 18
Parents of victims and activists of the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission will wear black robes and stage dharna near the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh tomorrow in protest against the inaction of the state and Central governments in the case.

Sheesh Mahal minaret falls, 3 children hurt
Patiala, Feb 18 
A part of a minaret of the Sheesh Mahal fell on some children who were participating in a painting competition held by the ‘Talent Search India’ in collaboration with the North Zone Culture Centre here today.

Debtors get 50 pc rebate
Abohar, February 18
A Lok Adalat was held here on Saturday at the subdivisional court complex under the guidance of Mr M. M. Bhalla, District and Sessions Judge, Ferozepore, as per the directions of Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, Punjab.

Decision to refuse burial was ‘right’
Hoshiarpur February 18
Members of the local Christian community feel concerned at the news item appear in The Tribune on February 10 regarding priest Sardar Masih’s refusal to perform Zohra’s burial.

ADMINISTRATION

Ban on digging soil extended
Gurdaspur, February 18
Mr B. Vikram, District Magistrate, yesterday extended the ban on digging soil for brick-kilns from the Chakki bridge to the limit of this district.

• S. S Dhaliwal made Chief Engineer
  

CRIME

Drive against POs fruitful: SSP
Bathinda, February 18
Gurdeep Singh, an accused in a case relating to illicit distillation of liquor registered in 1998 in the Nathana police station, had been declared a proclaimed offender by the court where the trial of his case was going on as he jumped bail.

BSP leader booked on murder charge
Tarn Taran, February 18
BSP leader Pritam Kaur, alias Preeto, along with her husband, Chanan Singh, son Chand Singh and relative Surjit Singh, alias Kala, all residents of Deh (Sheron), village have been booked under Section 302, 34, IPC, on a charge of killing Baldev Singh (22), alias Bagga, a resident of the same village.

Police foils bid to build gurdwara unauthorisedly
Gurdaspur, February 18
The timely intervention by the police foiled the bid of the Guru Ravi Dass Gurdwara Management Committee to build unauthorisedly a gurdwara on a plot measuring 9 kanal 11 marla at Badewal village 2 km from here. The plot is common village land and used for storing storm and excess village water.

One killed in accident
Sangrur, February 18
One person was killed and seven injured when a Maruti car and a Gypsy collided near Gharachon village on Bhawanigarh-Sunam road this afternoon.

• Gang of thieves busted
  

EDUCATION

‘Disinvestment in education wrong’
Bathinda, February 18
A convention was held here today by the Save Education Committee in which scholars delivered their lectures.

Update Punjabi University statutes: FEAR
Patiala, February 18
The Forum for Educational Action and Reform (FEAR), at its meeting held here today, urged the Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, to update those statutes of the university which have become obsolete and redundant due to the amendment of the Punjabi University Act by Punjab Act Number 27 of 1975, which had made its Senate a deliberating body only.

Primary kids face bleak future
Shortage of teachers
Patiala, February 18
Ten-year-old Rajni and her parents are in a quandary. Rajni has never done well in studies and hardly knows even the basics of English and mathematics. However, she has managed to reach Class V due to the ‘all pass’ policy of the Punjab government under which every primary student is ensured progression till class V.

5 GND varsity students selected
Amritsar, February 18
Five MBA students of Guru Nanak Dev University got placements in the Trident Group of Industries at a salary package of Rs 6 lakh per annum before completion of their studies. The interviews for recruitment were conducted at the university campus recently, a press note issued by the university stated here yesterday.

BUSINESS

Central excise notices irk industrialists
Hoshiarpur, February 18
Resentment prevails among the managements of all seven large and medium scale industrial units of the district against the direction to them by the Central Excise Authorities not to utilise MODVAT/CENVAT amounts and to pay the excise duty through personal ledger account (PLA).

PCO owners’ earnings dip
Bathinda, February 18
Mr Mohan Lal a PCO owner at Mansa road, has made up his mind to wind up business as more than 40 per cent of his daily earnings has gone after the decision of the government to localise calls in a radius of 200 km from January 26, 2001.