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TOP STORIES

Disparity in funds: Oppn MLAs to meet
Jalandhar, March 11
Opposition parties in the Punjab Assembly — which had created a ruckus in the House for two days for alleged discrimination towards their legislations by the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine — have joined hands to chalk out a strategy to “fight it out” at the next sitting of the House on March 13.

Teaching in primary schools hit
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 11
Panic prevails among primary teachers, students as well as parents in the district because more than 50 per cent single-teacher primary schools have been closed.

Hola Mohalla concludes
Anandpur Sahib, March 11
The three-day annual Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib concluded peacefully yesterday evening. The traditional Hola Mohalla procession started in the afternoon with ‘ardas’ performed by the Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh. During this ceremony he was also accompanied by the Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh.

Sher-e-Punjab gatka party performs during the Hola Mohalla procession at Anandpur Sahib on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Karam Singh

RSS leaders shying away from media
Mansa, March 11
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its leadership seems to be shying away from the media after the controversy over the RSS-Sikh identity issue erupted in Punjab a few months ago.

Granthis’ installation on March 15
Ludhiana, March 11
Bhai Sukhwinder Singh and Bhai Charan Singh will be installed granthis of the Golden Temple on March 15 at Amritsar. Their appointment was cleared by the executive committee of the SGPC which met at Anandpur Sahib on March 7 under the chairmanship of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi.

Ballot better than bullet: renegade
Harike (Amritsar), March 11
Lakhwinder Singh Mararh, alias Lakha Mararh, a former district chief of the Babbar Khalsa, who lost his right hand while launching a rocket aimed at the Kirian police station in 1987, now leads a peaceful life. So do his fellow militants (who once carried cash awards on their heads) after their surrender to the then Director-General of Police, Mr K.P.S. Gill.

Electrification of Amritsar-Ludhiana rail section begins
Phillaur, March 11
The Northern Railway has started work for electrification of 137-km-long Amritsar-Ludhiana rail section.

POLITICS

Rebels to move resolution on Bluestar
Ludhiana, March 11
The rebel Akali legislators or what is known as legislators owing allegiance to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, will move a resolution in the current session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha seeking condemnation or the Operation Bluestar and the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, Kanpur and other parts of the country after the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi in November 1984. The resolution is likely to be moved formally next week when the Vidhan Sabha meets from Tuesday.

Mann hopeful of third front in Punjab
Malerkotla, March 11
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President, SAD (Amritsar), while talking to mediapersons at the local rest house here today said some police official violated human rights in the past, but instead of making them face trial the government rewarded them with undue promotions, which should be withdrawn at the earliest.

Morcha chief flays Kanshi Ram
Phillaur, March 11
Bahujan Samaj Morcha national president Satnam Singh Kainth has demanded a high level CBI enquiry into the corruption charges levelled by Bahujan Samaj Party chief Kanshi Ram against Mr S.R. Lakha, cane commissioner, Uttar Pradesh and a brother of former Punjab BSP MP, Mr Harbhajan Lakha.

All-party rally against ‘misrule’
Mehraj (Bathinda), March 11
A massive rally was organised by representatives of all political parties of the region in protest against the alleged political pressure on panchayats of various villages to join the SAD-BJP ruling alliance here yesterday.

COMMUNITY

Bibi against sending ‘jathas’ to Pakistan
Ropar, March 11
The Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is headed by a Muslim and an ex-ISI chief. The decision not to send Sikh Jathas to Pakistan was taken by the SGPC executive committee in protest against the formation of the PGPC keeping in view the interests of the ‘panth’ and the nation.

Power shortage in Punjab, says Chandumajra
Chandigarh, March 11
Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, has expressed his concern over the shortage of power in the state.

Pension cases to be processed within a month: Kanjla
Patiala, March 11
Pension cases of 2,248 people were cleared five women were given certificates under the Kanya Jagriti Jyoti Scheme, while 10 women were given financial help under the National Maternity Benefit Scheme. 50 sewing machines were also distributed among the needy. A Social Security Fund is also being established for distributing pensions.

Basic amenities elude Bathinda
Bathinda
Known for its 1800-year-old Gobind Fort, biggest railway junction in the northern region, Asia’s biggest cantonment, fertiliser plant and spinning and ginning units all over India, the Bathinda town is also ‘famous’ for its sewerage problems.

Inquiries galore against Inspector
Bathinda, March 11
Budh Singh, an Inspector of Punjab police who has earned notoriety for the alleged violation of human rights and law, has again hit the headlines.

2 killed, 4 hurt in accident
Bathinda, March 11
Two persons killed on the spot and four others injured, two of them seriously, near Jiwan Singh Wala village 21 km from here early this morning.

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AGRICULTURE

Punjab to sink 500 solar tubewells
Katar Singh Wala, March 11
Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Minister for Science and Technology, Punjab, said here today, that the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) would set up 500 tubewells operated by solar energy, in the current year.

CRIME

Naib Tehsildar booked in another case
Tarn Taran, March 11
The police has registered one more case against Mr Balbir Singh suspended Naib Tehsildar, resident of Harike village residing in Amritsar at present. Ms Manjit Kaur and Mrs Gurbachan Kaur, wife and mother, respectively, of Mr Balbir Singh have been made co-accused with him this time. Number of cases against Mr Balbir Singh have been risen to five and most of these are of fraud.

Man commits suicide
Bathinda, March 11
Tehal Singh (40), resident of Kothe Panjwan Wale village, committed suicide by hanging himself near banks of the local distributary of the Sirhind canal.

Suppliers of arms held
Bathinda, March 11
The district police achieved a major success today by arresting Bakhshish Singh, alias Shisha, a resident of Muthia village in Ferozepore district, for supplying weapons and narcotics to terrorists in Punjab.

EDUCATION

Boy takes test under uncle’s supervision
Patiala, March 11
Controversy has erupted over the appointment of a Punjabi University professor officiating as the superintendent of a centre where one of his relatives was taking an MBA entrance test.

Indianise education: RSS chief
Mansa, March 11
The RSS chief, Mr K.S. Sudershan, said that present education policy prevailing in the country had been causing harm and there was a need of Indianisation of education.

Special steps to check copying
Fazilka, March 11
Mr Lachhman Singh Brar, District Education Officer (Secondary), while talking to mediapersons last evening said all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the class X and plus two examinations, which are commencing from March 12, have been completed in Ferozepore district.