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TOP STORIES

One day to go for Delhi Test
Patna clergy makes fresh appeal for support to PM
Amritsar, July 20
Even as the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, is unlikely to oblige a section of the Sikh community of the world by pronouncing a directive to the Sikh parliamentarians to support the UPA government on the proposed nuclear deal, Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib, today reiterated that they (Sikh MPs) must support the first Sikh Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

Cast conscience vote: PPCC
Nanded deputy mayor vouches for Manmohan

Dal Khalsa reminds MPs of ‘deal hazards’
Hoshiarpur, July 20
Expressing displeasure over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Dal Khalsa has urged Akali MPs to oppose it in Parliament, “as it will trigger a nuclear race on our doorstep, threatening the safety of Punjab and its inhabitants”.

PSEB’s unbundling postponed
Chandigarh, July 20
The Punjab State Electricity Board’s (PSEB) proposed unbundling that has generated a lot of heat among its employees has been postponed for about a year.

Probe sought against IG, SSP
Amritsar, July 20
Kripal Singh Randhawa, deputy chairman, Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), has urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for initiating departmental inquiry against IG, Punjab, Rajinder Singh and SSP Paramjit Singh Umranangal for misusing their official position.

‘Dera-Sikh row unfortunate’
Moga, July 20
Baldev Khosa, a clean-shaven Sikh MLA from Mumbai, which recently witnessed protests by the Sikh community following the death of a Sikh youth by a security personnel of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief has expressed concern over the continuing face-off between dera supporters and Sikhs.

 

COMMUNITY

Printing units jack up rates
Amritsar, July 20
Offset printers and packaging industry have increased rates of their products from 25 to 40 per cent. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Amritsar Offset Printers Association here today.

President of the Amritsar Offset Printers Association M.P. Singh (centre) addresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Sunday. — Photo by Vishal Kumar

Maj-Gen facing GCM admitted to PGI
Chandigarh, July 20
Major-Gen A.K. Lal facing trial by general court martial (GCM) for allegedly molesting a woman officer, has been hospitalised in Chandigarh, it is learnt.

Pak foreign secy arrives for talks
Attari, July 20
A six-member delegation, led by foreign secretary of Pakistan, arrived in India through the Attari joint check-post here today for the fifth round of composite dialogue to improve relations between the two countries.

Plan to charter 4 aeroplanes
Sangrur, July 20
After the successful use of a chartered aeroplane to transport postal material in the eastern sector (Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala and Mizoram etc), the Department of Posts has plans to charter four aeroplanes for transporting postal material in the northern, southern, western and central sectors of the country.

EDUCATION

PAU’s new course a big hit with students from villages
Ludhiana, July 20
After witnessing a decline in the number of students from rural background for a decade at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the campus this year saw a heavy intake of students from villages for the new six-year BSc Agriculture (Honours) course. A share of the rural population in the total campus intake for the existing courses at the university fell to 8 per cent in 2006-2007.

Controversy over recruitment of teachers trained in J & K
Chandigarh, July 20
A controversy has erupted in the corridors of the school Education Department of the Punjab government over the eligibility of students who have passed the two-year elementary teacher training (ETT) course from certain institutions in Jammu and Kashmir for recruitment as teachers in schools of the state government.

Soon, foreign language training for nursing students
Patiala, July 20
The Punjab government proposes to introduce training in foreign languages, besides English, for nursing students in the state with a view to help them secure jobs abroad.

AGRICULTURE

To check falling watertable
Hybrid rice varieties from next year 
Chandigarh, July 20
Punjab farmers will have the seed of hybrid rice to the address problem of the declining watertable. The state government apparently saw the importance of paddy as cash crop, especially due to recent events, which raised rice prices to an all-time high. “We had predicted this shortfall in another two-year time, but it has come earlier,” says Dr P.S. Rangi, an agri-economist for managing paddy in a better manner rather than reducing area under cultivation.

Inclement climate sucks sweetness out of grapes
Bathinda, July 20
The Malwa region, which once produced 80 per cent of the state’s grapes has been losing the distinction. Pre-monsoon showers, absence of marketing facilities and high MSP of other crops made farmers uproot grape vines for other crops.

Farmers uproot a grape orchard at Poohla village in Bathinda district. —  Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera.

Budda Nullah
Farmers seek action against units
Amritsar, July 20
The Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, threatened the state government with a mass agitation if the latter failed to initiate action against the industrial units discharging effluents in Budda Nullah.