Monday, February 20, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

NEWS UPDATE (4.45 pm IST)
Sikh children hold turban march during Chirac's visit

Gandhinagar, February 19 Gujarat is on high alert with cases of bird flu reported in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, bordering the southern part of the state. According to the state Animal Husbandry and Health authorities, provisional checkposts have been set up all along the Gujarat-Maharashtra and Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border to monitor the movement of humans as well as poultry and meat products.

Nationwide alert on bird flu
Vaccines rushed to affected areas
New Delhi, February 19
In a multi-pronged drive to contain the spread of the deadly “N5H1” virus of bird flu detected in the tribal Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, the Centre has sounded a countrywide alert to keep a close watch on poultry even as the National Disaster Management Authority has quickly swung into action. In video (28k, 56k)

Maharashtra culls 8 lakh chickens
Mumbai, February 19
The Animal Husbandry Department of Maharashtra today said more than eight lakh chickens had been culled in Navapur tehsil of Nandurbar district where bird flu was detected. The government had given orders to exterminate all chickens in the tehsil. All fowls, including broilers and country chicken, are being exterminated.

Nation page:
Bird flu: PM, Sonia keeping tab
PM serves chicken kebab to Clinton
Punjab page: No case of bird flu in Punjab
Ludhiana page:
Poultry farms to be inspected in 3 days
No chicken, please! Early fall in prices likely
You ignored our protest, now face flu: PFA
Haryana page:
Bird flu: Haryana sets up 3-member team
Fresh survey of migratory birds
Chandigarh page:
50 pc drop in poultry products’ demand
Admn fully prepared
Panic dips chicken sales

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: CM offers sops to traders
	HARYANA: Bird flu: Haryana sets up 3-member team
	HIMACHAL: Rs 365-cr watershed project launched
	J&K: Azad may contest from Bhaderwah
	CHANDIGARH: 50 pc drop in poultry products’ demand
	LUDHIANA: Poultry farms to be inspected in 3 days
	DELHI: DDA has no power to amend Master Plan: HC
	Opinions: Firmness on Iran
	BUSINESS: TRAI moots drastic ADC cut
	NATION: Lakhs protest against cartoons
	WORLD: Iranian fatwa approves use of N-weapons
	SPORTS: Yuvraj, Dhoni star in India’s win

Chandigarh, February 19 Officially admitting to the “operational secret” of using militants to counter other militants, the Director-General of Punjab Police, Mr S.S. Virk, today admitted to the existence of Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, a former militant, who was earlier declared dead in an encounter with the police.
The DGP, Punjab, Mr S.S. Virk, and the former DGP, Punjab, Mr K.P.S. Gill, address a press conference in Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari
Punjab page: Sukhbir trying to rake up controversy, says Sukhi Arrest Virk for harbouring militants: Sukhbir

Seven soldiers convicted of cowardice
Chandigarh, February 19
Seven Army personnel have been convicted for cowardice for lapses which killed a Brigadier and nearly annihilated the Northern Command top brass during a terrorist attack at an Army camp near Akhnoor in July 2003, it is learnt.

CBI to probe Naval leaks
New Delhi, February 19
The Defence Ministry has asked the CBI to probe “war room leaks” of the Naval headquarters that led to the sacking of three senior Naval officials.

Teacher rapes minor in Ambala village
Ambala, February 19
A student was raped by her school teacher Rajesh Kumar at Chudiala village last evening. The girl was again raped by a youth who witnessed the earlier incident. According to Mr K.K. Khandelwal, Director General, Secondary Education, Haryana, Rajesh Kumar has been suspended.

DAV institutes lose “minority status” Amritsar, February 19 In a significant development, the Coordination Committee of Vice Chancellors, has decided to enforce UGC/state government's norms while selecting Principals, lecturers in all the DAV Colleges, thus ending their 'minority status', enjoyed by the management in Punjab for the last about 35 years.