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Poll lights up villages
The PSEB has issued verbal directions to remove villages from the ambit of unscheduled power cuts
Chandigarh, May 2
The Panchayat elections seem to have brought electricity supply back to the villages and also encouraged the PSEB to follow an age-old directive, which it was flouting with impunity for years together.

Election Time Is Sop Time
PSEB acts fast to pay fire-hit farmers
Patiala, May 2
The PSEB has notified as many as 246 claims of farmers across the state whose wheat crop had been destroyed in fire due to sparks from electricity wires.

Draft of water policy, 2008, approved
Chandigarh, May 2
Punjab will set up an appropriate regulatory authority to control, manage and regulate water resources for its judicious and equitable utilisation. The state government will also formulate a new comprehensive and unified legislation on the management and administration of canals and drains in the state.

Govt forgets promises made to martyr’s family
Chandigarh, May 2
Residents of Datewas, a village located near Budhlada in Mansa district, witnessed an unusual spectacle of ceremonial parade by soldiers drawn from the 2nd Sikh Regiment, sounding of bugles and playing of tunes by an Army band in memory of late Joginder Singh on October 11, 2006.

SAD dons secular colours
Amritsar, May 2
In a bid to project the SAD as a secular party, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who has been camping here in connection with the coming byelection, today visited a number of deras and temples. He allowed people to come close to him by breaking the security ring around him.
A priest applies “tilak” on the forehead of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during his byelection campaign in Amritsar (South) on Friday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

 

SGPC unlikely to sack Vedanti Comments on Separate Sikh Homeland Amritsar, May 2 Even as Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht, has landed the ruling Akali Dal in an unsavoury situation by justifying the demand for a separate Sikh homeland during his current visit to New York, the SGPC finds it difficult to remove him unceremoniously like his two predecessors, Giani Puran Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh, due to various reasons.

Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti

What kept minister mum?
Pathankot, May 2
One could easily sense that something was amiss between two Cabinet rank BJP ministers of the state who avoided each other at the National Hydro Power Corporation Rest House here today.

Nominations filed
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 2
Sixty candidates today filed their candidature for Zila Parishad and 334 filed for Block Samiti elections. There are five Block Samitis in the district. Sixtythree nominations were filed from Khera Block Samiti, 71 from Sirhind, 72 from  Amloh, 60 from Bassi Pathana and 68 from Khamano.

COMMUNITY

Round-up
Panchayat election on May 26
Chandigarh, May 2
The Punjab State Election Commission today said the polling of gram panchayats will be held on May 26. A detailed schedule for this purpose will be issued separately. Gram panchayat elections were to be held on April 7, but were postponed. Since the model code of conduct is already in force on account of the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad general elections, the same will remain in force till the completion of the gram panchayat elections. The polling for zila parishad elections will be held on May 12.

‘Official encroachment’ plagues hostels 
Patiala/Sangrur/Ropar, May 2
Youth hostels in Punjab are among the many buildings in the state which are plagued by the “official encroachment” syndrome.

State for more rights on federal pattern
Chandigarh, May 2
The Punjab government has expressed hope of getting more autonomy for the state under a truly federal setup following a Union government initiative for developing better understanding and coordination between the Centre and states with the help of the commission on Centre-state relations.

Panel tells DC to help 
Mom’s plea brings hope to addict boy
Chandigarh, May 2
Coming to the rescue of Jaswinder Singh, a drug addict, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission has directed the deputy commissioner (DC) and the SSP of Tarn Taran to admit the youth to a de-addiction centre.

Row over dist forums ends
Chandigarh, May 2
The controversy over the appointment of presidents and women members of district forums in the state of Punjab today ended with additional advocate-general Anmol Rattan Singh informing the court that the selections had been cleared.

COURTS

Notice to scribe
Taking up the petition filed by a Ludhiana resident seeking a probe into alleged exploitation and harassment by a journalist and the local police, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the journalist and the police.

AGRICULTURE

Wheat-lifting at a snail’s pace
Bathinda, May 2
Traders have started stacking wheat bags on roads and at unhygienic places, with market committee yards in the Malwa region overflowing with the fresh arrival of bags that the authorities are lifting at a snail’s pace.



Wheat being filled in gunny bags in front of a public urinal outside the market committee yard in Bathinda on Friday. Tribune photo: Kulbir Beera