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TOP STORIES

Jail Violence
35 prisoners to be shifted
Jalandhar, March 31
The Central Jail authorities have identified 35 prisoners who were reportedly responsible for violence in the jail located near Basti Adda Chowk yesterday.

Farmers to protest ‘meagre’ compensation for land
Rorewala (Attari), March 31

The Kisan Ujara Roku Action Committee formed by farmers of border villages of Roranwala Khurd and Attari here today got a boost when several farmer unions announced support to start protest against the state and the Central governments for announcing inadequate price for the land for an integrated checkpost at the Attari Joint Checkpost.

Farmers of border villages of Rorewala and Patti protest against inadequate compensation announced by the government for their land to be acquired for an integrated checkpost at Attari on Monday. — Photo by Vishal Kumar

Kar seva of Bungas from Baisakhi
Amritsar, March 31
The kar seva of historical Ramgarhia Bungas on the Golden Temple complex has been assigned to the Vishavkarma Welfare Trust by the SGPC, which will spend more than Rs 1 crore on its conservation. It is likely to begin from Baisakhi. Ramgarhia Bungas on the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

Damage to Vegetable Crops
16.35-cr relief for farmers
Chandigarh, March 31
The Punjab government today announced Rs 16.35 crore for farmerswhose vegetable crop was damaged by severe cold and frost in the state, besides levying 1 per cent more infrastructure fee to collect revenue of Rs 350 crore.

 

POLITICS

Bhattal hand in glove with Badal: Amarinder
Chandigarh, March 31
To win the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, there is a need to act tough against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) instead of adopting the policy of “appeasement as done by Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal,” said Capt Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister.

Govt to launch Punjabipedia
Chandigarh, March 31
On the pattern of Wikipedia, the Punjab government has decided to launch Punjabipedia to promote Punjabi language, literature and culture. Education minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur stated this here today. She said the Punjab Languages Department, which would be restructured soon, would have a computer and languages laboratory main task of which would be to promote the use of Punjabi on computer through Internet, e-mail and other modes, including SMS message etc. “ We will make use of Punjabi as good as is that English now”, she added.

Capt to address conference on Baisakhi
Chandigarh, March 31
Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said he would address a political conference at Talwandi Sabo on April 13 on the occasion of Baisakhi. Later, he would also tour various parts of the state and meet Congress workers facing cases.

‘Health care services in pitiable condition’
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 31
President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Sirmranjit Singh Mann said here today that Punjab health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla had failed to provide health care services to common people in the state.

COMMUNITY

Abandoned Southall Boy
Farmer disputes Bihar couple’s claim
Hoshiarpur, March 31
The affirmation of a farmer at Tanda Ram Sahay village in Mukerian sub- division of this district about an abandoned boy found at a Southall clinic (UK) in the third week of this month and later identified as Gurinder as his nephew (son of younger brother Mohinder Singh), has put a question mark on the claim of the couple from Bihar - Ganga Prasad, shopkeeper, and Bindiya Devi of Aurangabad.
A file photo of Gurinder Singh and his sister Navjeet Kaur. 

Memorial to 35,000 Sikh martyrs
Jitwal Kalan, March 31
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the state government would set up a memorial in commemoration of 35,000 Sikh martyrs of the big “ghallughara” (holocaust) on the land of Kup and Rohirra villages (near Mandi Ahmedgarh), about 10 km from Malerkotla.

Ratra pats engineers’ back
Patiala, March 31
The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) seems to be upbeat on statistics related to power generation by board’s three power plants and their plant load factors. Praising engineers, chairman, PSEB, Y. S. Ratra today said for the first time all three thermal plants had broken previous records of generation.

Villagers threaten to launch stir
Bhaini Sahib, March 31
Farmers of five villages of the area threatened to launch an agitation in case their land was acquired for construction of proposed memorials of Sat Guru Ram Singh at Rayeean village near here.

Burney to be honoured
Chandigarh, March 31
Pakistan human rights minister Ansar Burney, who is scheduled to visit India from April 2, will be honoured at Nangal Khialrian village in Hoshiapur. “A function will be held to honour Burney, who played a pivotal role in the release of Kashmir Singh, who belonged to Nangal Khialrian village,” said an organiser of the function.

Budget no prelude to early poll, says Ashwani Kumar
Gurdaspur, March 31
After the presentation of a populist Budget by the UPA government, union minister of state for industry Ashwani Kumar spoke to The Tribune on a wide range of issues. The extract of the interview is as follows:  Union minister of state for industry Ashwani Kumar during an interview with The Tribune at Gurdaspur. — Photo by writer

‘Wild’ side of UT’s super rich
Chandigarh, March 31
If you thought Chandigarh was all about greens, here’s a peek into its “wild, red” side. UT, with its massive wildlife wealth, possessed by the high and mighty, can put any state in India to shame. It did in 2003 when its residents made a beeline for disclosure of wildlife articles under a government of India’s amnesty scheme. The scheme gave owners of wildlife articles a chance to register and legally possess these.