62 trains cancelled: The Northern Railway cancelled the Nanded-bound Sachkhand Express (12716) for January 13 as its corresponding train (12715 Up) was running several hours behind the schedule today. Sources said six trains, including Firozepur-Mumbai Express (19023), would remained cancelled tomorrow. The Railways cancelled 62 mail, express and superfast trains, running on various rail sections of the Northern Railway, today. Meanwhile, road traffic faced several disruptions due to dense fog which enveloped the entire region on Wednesday.

Phillaur
SMO among 20 employees found absent: On the directive of Jalandhar DC Priyank Bharti, Phillaur SDM Pritam Singh raided various government offices of the sub-division today and found more than 20 employees, including Senior Medical Officer, absent from their duties. In Phillaur, the SDM raided the Tehsil Office, Civil Hospital, Drainage Department Office. In Noormahal, he raided the BDPO Office, FCI Office, Naib Tehsildar Office, Civil Hospital and Agriculture Department Office. He also raided civil dispensary and market committee office at Bilga. Some offices were found vacant, the SDM said adding reports of his raids were sent to the Jalandhar DC for further departmental action. 

Jalandhar
‘Police inaction’ : Kulwinder Singh, a resident of Hirapur, has alleged inaction by the Lambra police concerning an incident wherein some accused attacked him and ransacked his house two days ago. He said though the police registered an FIR against Gurpreet, alias Gopi, Gandhi, Joney and over 15 others for attacking his son Sukhjinder Singh, no efforts are being made to arrest them even as they roam free. A group of nearly 15 persons, lead by Gopi, had allegedly attacked Kulwinder Singh’s house on Monday and the police had registered a case in this regard on Tuesday. —

Cane-charging flayed: The Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Instructors Union today criticised the state government for cane-charging the scores of ITI instructors when they were demanding regularisation of their jobs during a protest organised by the union in Lambi, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s constituency, on January 8. In a press note issued here, Jarnail Singh Patti, state president, and Gurdeep Singh Jalandhar, district president, of the union, said such an act of baton- charging on the educated class had exposed the approach of the government towards genuine demands of the aggrieved sections of the society. 

Tributes paid: Tributes were paid to the late Lekh Raj Sharma, a former Improvement Trust Chairman, at his bhog ceremony here today. He was a revered freedom fighter and Congressman of the old school who was a father figure to many present day politicians. His son, Virender Sharma, is a UK MP. Others who paid tributes to the departed soul included former ministers Amarjit Singh Samra, Lal Singh, Chaudhry Santokh Singh, Chaudhry Jagjit Singh, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Chaudhry Darshan Singh and Gurkanwal Kaur. 

Urja yatra: The Rashtriya Urja Jan Jagriti Abhiyan, organised by the Vigyan Bharti and heading in the form of a yatra, will halt near Punjab Technical University (PTU), Kapurthala, tomorrow afternoon. The yatra is aimed at creating mass awakening movement on energy saving, energy efficient resources and renewable energy systems. PTU is participating in the abhiyan as one of the partner institutes. Dr Rajneesh Arora, Vice-Chancellor, PTU, said the university would help spread the message across the state. Coordinator of the yatra Dr N.P. Singh, Dean, Distance Education, said PTU would conduct seminars where its faculty would present their research papers. The yatra entered Punjab today from the Jammu side. After going to Dinanagar, Pathankot and Batala, it will arrive at Khalsa College, Amritsar, tomorrow morning. 

Nawanshahr
Black Lohri: The activists of the district Ganna Sangarsh Committee observed black Lohri here today to protest against the dilly-dallying approach of the local Cooperative Sugar Mills towards the sugarcane growers of the area. The sugarcane growers wearing black gowns organised a demonstration in front of the sugar mills. Addressing the gathering, committee leaders said private mills were paying more price to the cane growers than the cooperative sugar mills. Besides, the cane growers had not been paid the arears for the past many years.