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CBI court to hear Bibi’s plea
Patiala, February 24
Duty Magistrate Mewa Singh today referred the application, of former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee President Jagir Kaur calling for the recall of the order of the Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Magistrate which had ordered her to take regular bail from the trial court till today, back to the court of the CBI Magistrate for hearing on March 3.

Switzerland Tourism targets Punjab
Chandigarh, February 24
“That Switzerland is the most expensive European country is a misconception. It is as inexpensive or expensive as any other European nation,” said Mr Federico Sommaruga, Manager, Emerging Markets, Switzerland Tourism, who was here today on a brief visit to the city.

Punjab to review LPG-for-all scheme
Ropar, February 24
The LPG-for-all scheme that was to be launched in three districts of Punjab has been held in abeyance. Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab, told this correspondent that he had received a large number of representations from Below the Poverty Line (BPL) people against the scheme.

Row over house tax assessment
Muktsar, February 24
The assessment of house tax by the local municipal council authorities has created a controversy as members of the National Consumer Awareness Group have alleged that a number of establishments have been left out of the assessment.

Potable water a distant dream
Nawanpind Khalewal (Jalandhar) February 24
Ground water in 30 villages along the Chitti Bein rivulet has become unfit for consumption because of unchecked flow of industrial and other pollutants in the rivulet.

Accept masses’ verdict: Badal tells Amarinder
Barnala, February 24
Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, suggested to Congress chief, Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, to accept verdict of masses in Majitha Assembly byelection in a spirited manner instead of resorting the lame excuses.

Harike case: judicial remand for accused
Patiala, February 24
Duty Magistrate Mewa Singh today remanded Joginderpal Singh Tony, the main accused in the case involving digging out of 100 kg of gold from the haveli of the late Prime Minister of the Patiala princely State, in judicial custody till March 2.

POLITICS

Cong leaders to meet Vedanti on code violation
Amritsar, February 24
A deputation of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee will meet Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht, against alleged distribution of ‘illicit liquor’ intoxicants by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal during the Majitha byelection.

COMMUNITY

Mass marriages in villages, too
ABOHAR:
The concept of mass marriages, which first gained currency in the urban areas, is now spreading to villages through the efforts of some religious heads and social workers. Residents of Panjkosi village, near here, had resolved to help the downtrodden by arranging mass marriages of girls from this section.

HIGH COURT
HC orders CBI probe into murder
Chandigarh, February 24
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the murder of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Joint Secretary Harmesh Kumar Mukhija at Dharamkot in Moga district.

• DPI told to consider increment claim

74 Inspectors promoted DSPs
Ludhiana, February 24
The Punjab Government has promoted 74 Inspectors to the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). According to the orders issued by the Principal Secretary, Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Punjab, the promotions have been ordered with immediate effect on temporary basis as per the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DCP), subject to approval by the Punjab Public Service Commission.

Bathinda gets facelift for CM’s visit
Bathinda, February 24
The dusty roads of the city are being cleaned on a war footing with even additional manpower being deployed for the purpose in view of the proposed visit of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, to the city on February 26.

Limit VIP visits to Amritsar: Dang
Amritsar, February 24
Holding the frequent VIP visits for the deteriorating law and order condition in the city, Mr Satya Pal Dang, veteran CPI leader, said the VIP duties by the police has not only given an impetus to anti-social elements to carry out their acts while the police personnel are bound to duties when dignitaries come visiting and so turn a blind eye to victims of accidents, rape, theft, robberies and murders who feel helpless by the delay caused by police to take congnisance of the situation.

Jassi case: bail to accused cop denied
Sangrur, February 24
Additional Sessions Judge, Sangrur, R.P. Nagrath, today dismissed the bail application of Joginder Singh, SI (now Head Constable), an accused in the Canadian girl Jaswinder Kaur Jassi, murder case.

Officialdom “harming” Punjabi’s cause
Jalandhar, February 24
“To fulfil their political needs, politicians succeeded in carving out separate Punjabi state but no serious effort was made at any level for development of the Punjabi language and dialect,” said Mr Tirlochan Singh, Vice-Chairman of the National Minorities Commission.

Folk artistes mesmerise audience
Patiala, February 24
For once it was a different atmosphere at the Mohindra Gymkhana Club in the city. The club, which is used to hosting pop music programmes, hosted a programme by folk artistes of the state who enthralled the members and guests with their performances at Lok Sangeet Mela today.

Attempt to saffronise flayed
Amritsar, February 24
The Dal Khalsa and the All-India Shiromani Youth Akali Dal (AISYAD) today castigated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for saffronising the educational syllabi in Punjab by including in a book that Guru Gobind Singh tried to liberate the Ram temple site.

Patwarkhana shifting opposed
Bathinda, February 24
Activists of the Mazdoor Union have urged the authorities concerned not to shift the patwarkhana and rickshaw stand from Arya Samaj Chowk.

Move to shift hospital opposed
Bathinda, February 24
Mr Krishan Kumar Sharma and Mr Kewal Krishan Aggarwal, both general secretaries, DCC said yesterday in a statement that the Congress would launch an agitation if General and Children Hospital, which was located in the heart of the city, was shifted from its present location to the proposed new location at the main Civil Hospital of the district.

Health care prime concern among doctors
Patiala, February 24
Health care needs to become community based and the method of medical education should be guided by this principle, said Dr P. Narasimha Rao, president of the International Medical Sciences Academy, while delivering the presidential address at its annual conference at Government Medical College here today.

AGRICULTURE

Cong kisan rally today
Jalandhar February 24
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee had decided to ensure the participation of about one lakh farmers in the All India Congress Committee’s February 25 “kisan rally” in Delhi to be addressed by the party chief Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

Dhindsa’s no to cut in farm subsidy
Kapurthala, February 24
Union Minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, said today that his department had recommended that there should be no cut in the subsidy on fertilisers in the forthcoming Union Budget to the Finance Ministry.

ADMINISTRATION

Real estate market looking up: PUDA
Chandigarh, February 24
The sale of an old dispensary site in the heart of Patiala city at a fabulous price of Rs 21, 800 per square yards at an auction conducted by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) demonstrates the revival of real estate market in the commercial segment.

Additional EO’s posting to hit finances
Bathinda, February 24
Even as financial liabilities of the local Municipal Council have increased by crores of rupee on account of its contribution to the project of the railway overbridge on Paras Ram Nagar railway-level crossing and margin money for raising loan from HUDCO to lay sewers in the city, the Punjab Government has posted an Additional Executive Officer here despite the strong protest lodged against it by its President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhullar.

Punjab to have censor board
Phagwara, February 24
The Punjab Cultural Affairs Minister, Mr Swarna Ram, yesterday declared that a state censor board would be constituted to put a curb on vulgar songs since “lachar gayaki” in the garb of Punjabi pop music was harming the traditional folklore and art in Punjab.

Truckers may be charged for overloading
Chandigarh, February 24
In order to put an end to the harassment faced by truckers at the hands of the Traffic Police in almost every city and town in the state, the authorities concerned have mooted a proposal to charge overloading fee from truckers.

CRIME

5 booked for kidnapping
Sangrur, February 24
The police has booked five persons including an auditor working in the Food and Supplies Department at Patiala for allegedly kidnapping and injuring another employee, Mr Jaspal Singh, a clerk, posted at Bathinda. None of them have been arrested so far.

Two fake doctors held
Bathinda, February 24
The district police has succeeded in arresting two persons who were running clinics in their chemist shops and had been making people addicted to intoxicating medicines by impersonating as qualified doctors.

EDUCATION

‘Need’ to reduce digital divide
Amritsar, February 24
A three-day conference held on challenges before higher education at DAV College concluded here last night. Participants have made suggestions for incorporation in the documents on education to be formulated by the Human Resource Development Ministry in collaboration with the UGC and other allied educational organisations.

Papers presented on gender relations
Patiala, February 24
Prof D.R. Choudhary from Haryana highlighted the revival the custom of atta-sutta (exchange of brides between two families) while presenting his paper on gender relations in Haryana and also discussed the problem of unemployment and sexual frustration being faced by the Haryanvi young men.

Academic complex inaugurated
Sangrur, February 24
Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, Technical Education Minister, Punjab, today called upon the Punjabis to persue the field of technical education to check unemployment in the state.

Teachers burn minister’s effigy
Sangrur, February 24
More than 300 teachers, led by Mr Nachhatar Singh Jahangir, state president of the Adhiyapak Dal, Punjab, today burnt the effigy of a state, Cabinet Minister, Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, and women teachers did a ‘siapa’ near the local Moti theatre (M) to protest against the alleged use of derogatory remarks against the leaders of the Dal by the Minister.

Improve level of education, says Gheri
Bathinda, February 24
Mr Kiran Jeet Gheri, president of the state unit of the Dalait Sena, said the present structure of the reservations should not be disturbed and benefits should continue for the poor section of the society.

School children enthral audience
Bathinda, February 24
It was the “mini world” of the pupils of Krishna Vatika School where the parents got the chance to know how their children were being taught to become confident and to develop their personality.

VC assures PUTA on demands
Patiala, February  24
The Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) has claimed that the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, has assured the association of an early resolution of its demands, including promotions to all teachers under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS), stopping of a scheme envisaging evaluation by students of their teachers and removing victimisation meted out to Dr K.C. Singhal.

BUSINESS

Govt bluffing tenants: union
Abohar, February 24
The Punjab Government is trying to be smart like those traders who double the rates of products after the season and then offer 50 per cent discount on “sale” simply to bluff the customers.