P U N J A B

Top stories | Politics | Community | Agriculture

Crime | Education

Draft VAT legislation ready
Many concessions may be withdrawn
Chandigarh, April 28
With the empowered committee of state finance ministers having agreed to introduce VAT (value added tax) from April 1, 2003, Punjab is likely to introduce the draft VAT legislation in the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha some time in August.

• Ludhiana page: ‘Octroi won’t be reintroduced’

CIVIC BODIES
Poll postponement may affect Cong prospects
Amritsar, April 28
Speculations are rife over the postponement of elections to all four corporations in Punjab scheduled for May 19. Elections to these civic bodies could reportedly be postponed by at least one month if not more.

Ban on jathas: SHSAD to meet Advani
Sangrur, April 28
A deputation of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, led by its President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, will meet the Union Home Minister, Mr Lal Krishan Advani, next week in New Delhi to get the ‘ban’ on Sikh jathas to Pakistan lifted.

PAU sitting on molestation case
Ludhiana, April 28
Even as eight months have passed since the molestation case involving a student and a teacher was reported in the PAU, the authorities are yet to take any decision in the case. The delay is a violation of a Supreme Court order that directs heads of institutions to take immediate action.

Ex-minister Kahlon’s house raided
Chandigarh, April 28
In connection with recruitment irregularities in Punjab Rural Development Department, the state Vigilance Bureau today raided different places at Ajnala, Amritsar and Chandigarh.

IT Dept seeks details of Chhina’s assets
Amritsar, April 28
The Income Tax Department today sought a detailed report on the recovery of movable and immovable property worth Rs 2 crore by the Vigilance Bureau from Mr Surinder Pal Singh Chhina, Managing-Director, Central Cooperative Department, so that action can be initiated against him.

• Cheema’s remand extended

Modi should quit, says Shastri
Amritsar, April 28
Mr Anil Shastri, Secretary, Indian National Congress and spokesman for the party, today demanded the immediate resignation of the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in the wake of communal violence in the state.

Vinod Khanna alleges vendetta
Pathankot, April 28
The Congress Government led by Capt Amarinder Singh is falsely implicating BJP and Akali leaders out of vendetta, Mr Vinod Khanna, Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur, said here today.

COMMUNITY

Clerk alleges police torture
Ludhiana, April 28
A clerk with the District Treasury Office, Ludhiana, was allegedly tortured by the Moga police in illegal detention for effecting a compromise between him and his estranged wife, who belongs to Moga. The man was admitted to DMC Hospital with back pain due to police torture late in the evening.

A Sikh girl displays her “gatka” skills (traditional Sikh martial art), organised by the Sikh Virsa Sambhal Sanstha at Khalsa College, Amritsar, on Sunday. — Photo Rajiv Sharma

Hike minimum wages: BMS
Sangrur, April 28
In a resolution, the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) today urged the government to fix minimum wages to the tune of Rs 4500 per month, Rs 5000 per month and Rs 5500 per month for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labourers, respectively.

Urban poor a neglected lot
Ferozepore
In spite of providing basic support to cities in Punjab at the familial and individual level, the urban poor, both homeless and those living in slums continue to bear the burnt of neglect, indifference and societal indifference.

PATHANKOT ROUND-UP
Hospital generator a nuisance
The generator installed at the Civil Hospital here has become a curse for patients, both indoor and outdoor. The generator was installed to provide uninterrupted power to the hospital to escape from frequent power breakdowns.

Injured chemist struggles for life
Hoshiarpur, April 28
Ajay Kumar Thaman, 25-year-old Brahmin chemist of Garhdiwala town of Hoshiarpur district, who married a Jat girl of the same town, is struggling for life in the local Civil Hospital. He was admitted to hospital in a serious condition on April 21, 2002.

95 pc ailments due to stress: experts
Jalandhar, April 28
About 95 per cent of diseases are caused by stress and 80 per cent of health problems are related to mind and can be cured by various stress-busting techniques. Starting this at a seminar “Stress free yourself” and a free workshop on stress management organised by the Stress Free Global Forum here today, Dr Raswinderjit Singh, a naturopathy expert, said most diseases were creation of stress and proper stress management could ensure their complete eradication.

Eye specialists hold meeting
Patiala, April 28
As many as 80 eye specialists from Patiala, Chandigarh and nearby towns attended the Continuing Medical Education programme organised by the Patiala Academy of Ophthalmology here today.

• Fire destroys marriage palace

Wheat yield down by over 10 pc
Bathinda, April 28
Wheat growers of the state seem to be doubly cursed this time as on one hand the increase in its minimum support price was insufficient to meet the hike in the input costs and on the other hand, the per acre yield of wheat has decreased between 10 per cent and 15 per cent.

Crop damage: girdawari ordered
Chandigarh, April 28
The Punjab Agriculture Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today clarified that the government had ordered a special girdawari regarding the damage to the rabi crop due to inclement weather or fire in the past few days.

CRIME

Rs 46-lakh fraud in union funds detected
Barnala, April 28
Investigation by the Barnala police into charges of misappropriation of the Barnala Truck Operators Union Tax Deducted at Source Refund by Malkiat Singh Keetu, MLA, Barnala, and Darshan Kumar, cashier of the union, has revealed that the TDS refund of the union to tune of about Rs 46 lakh since 1997-1998 had not been accounted for.

Two arrested on rape charge
Barnala, April 28
The Sherpur police has apprehended two persons for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl about six months ago and three persons for selling used lubricants oil by fixing seals of reputed companies.

• Robbers steal cash, passports

Ineligible student in SGPC college?
Amritsar, April 28
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is in a spot following the admission of an ‘ineligible’ student in its Guru Ram Dass Medical College, here, even as Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, secretary general, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal has sent a communication to the Medical Council of India to order a high-level probe into the matter.

Ayurvedic college to reopen today
Amritsar, April 28
Although the management of Shree Laxmi Narain Ayurvedic College has decided to reopen the college after 15 days of strike, yet the National Students Union of India has announced to boycott the classes. However, the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad welcomed decision of the management.