Senior
leaders absent at SAD meeting
Sangrur, May 23
Mrs Surjit Kaur Barnala, wife of
Uttaranchal Governor and senior leader of the women’s wing of SAD,
Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Punjab minister, and Mr Baldev Singh Mann,
were conspicuous by their absence at a district-level party meeting,
which was held at Gurdwara Singh Sabha here yesterday in connection
with the preparations of a district-level conference to be held on
June 7 at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib near here. The meeting was presided
over by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Chemicals and
Fertilisers.
CPI
to forge pact with BSP
Chandigarh, May 23
The CPI would enter into an
electoral alliance with like-minded secular parties, including the
Bahujan Samaj Party, to defeat the ruling “communal” Shiromani
Akali Dal and the BJP alliance in Punjab.
Dhindsa
trying to end infighting
Chandigarh, May 23
Serious efforts have begun for a
patch-up between the Dhindsa and Barnala factions in Sangrur district.
Informed sources said that the initiative to bring about unity had
been taken by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.
Cong
Seva Dal not to seek ticket
Bathinda, May 23
The Punjab unit of the Congress
Seva Dal will not seek party ticket for members from the party high
command for the Assembly or Parliament elections.
Funds
sought for desilting choe
Bhunerheri (Patiala), 23
The SAD-led government, which is
distributing crores of rupees by way of sangat darshan programmes,
seems to have cast off its benevolent nature as far as thousands of
people living around the Meeranpur choe in the district are concerned
as it had not released Rs 5. 5 crore needed to desilt and widen the
choe.
Suicide:
DC’s staff continue strike
Ferozepore, May 23
Work at the Deputy
Commissioner’s office was virtually paralysed as the strike by the
clerical staff, who were demanding action against the Assistant
Commissioner (General), Mr Rajpreet Singh Brar, entered third day
today.
Tips
to counter attacks by ‘kale kachhewale’
Nawanshahr, May 23
The police has launched a special
awareness campaign to educate people about the modus operandi of the
Kale Kachhewale going so that they can remain alert.
General
bus stand in bad shape
Malerkotla
The general bus stand near Delhi
Gate here is in bad shape. It was set up in the 1980s as the old bus
stand could not cope with the increasing number of passengers.
Cockroaches
in jam: relief awarded
Ropar, May 23
The district forum has awarded a
compensation of Rs 10,000 to three complainants of Mohali who
allegedly fell ill after eating Sil Mix Trix jam that was contaminated
due to the presence of cockroaches in it.
Compensation
eludes claimants
Pathankot, May 23
More than 500 claimants of this
tehsil are running from pillar to post for getting compensation for
their property that was acquired by the Defence authorities. According
to sources, land in eight villages in the tehsil was acquired by the
Defence authorities, in 1987.
Baratis
return sans bride, pride
Batala, May 23
Bacchanalia coupled with hostile
nature can ruin even the most delicate moments and this is what
happened at a marriage party here, which most of those involved would
like to forget but is doubtful that they ever will.
Gate
opened for cops’ convenience
Bathinda, May 23
A small gate on the back of
Government Rajindra College, which was recently closed despite the
fact that a majority of students of the college used it, has been
opened again, reportedly for the convenience of police personnel.
Morcha
to set up panel on Dalit problems
Patiala, May 23
Members of the Bahujan Samaj
Morcha today decided to set up a three member committee to look into a
matter, where Dalits have been reportedly banned from entering temples
near Rakhra.
Taxi
driver missing since April 22
Kapurthala, May 23
The city police has registered a
case under Section 364 of the IPC in connection with the disappearance
of Jaswinder Singh, alias Jassa, a taxi driver of Ghug village in the
district.
Trust
gets land vacated from mafia
Amritsar, May 23
The Improvement Trust Chairman,
Mr Bakshi Ram Arora, led a police team to get a huge chunk of the
Trust land vacated from the clutches of land mafia having political
clout, from the trust’s proposectruck stand scheme on the G.T. Road
last night.
Mattewal
pleads lawyers’ case with CM
Chandigarh, May 23
The Punjab Government is ready to
construct chambers for lawyers at Sangrur provided the site for such
chambers was cleared by the District Sessions Judge with the prior
approval of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Christians
protest author’s remarks
Gurdaspur, May 23
Hundreds of Christians led by the
Christian Yuva Morcha participated in a demonstration held here today
at Kahnuwan Chowk to protest against derogatory remarks written by
Amritsar based advocate Satnam Singh in his book and killing of three
clergymen in Manipur.
Miraculous
escape for passengers
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 23
Nearly 40 passengers travelling
in the bus bound for Lahore had a miraculous escape today when the bus
went out of control due to some trouble in its pressure pipe near
Maharaja Palace at Mandi Gobindgarh.
Protest
by shopkeepers over theft
Rampura, May 23
Shopkeepers of the bus stand
market here today closed their shops till noon to lodge their protest
following a theft that took place in one of the shops in the area last
night. More than 150 shopkeepers held a rally and a march in the town
in protest against failure of authorities concerned to protect their
property. The protesters demanded adequate security arrangements.
Dharna
against dealer’s refusal to pay bill
Maur Mandi, May 23
Activists of the Bharati Kisan
Union (Ekta) today staged a dharna in front of the Agriculture office
in protest against the refusal of a cotton-seed dealer to give the
bill for the cotton seeds purchased.
Bir
Talab road to be widened
Bathinda, May 23
Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and
Technology Minister, Punjab, said yesterday that the work of widening
the road from Bathinda to Bir Talab would be started later this week.
Mr Garg, who was here to address functions at Mian, Multania and Tiona
villages of the district, said the Punjab Government would open a
senior secondary school for girls at Tiona village. Rs 20 lakh would
be spent to set up the school, he said.
Pension
conditions relaxed
Chandigarh, May 23
The Punjab Government has decided
to relax conditions for providing pension to those who went to jail in
connection with the Punjabi Suba Morcha, struggle against the
Emergency, Dharm Yudh Morcha and Sisganj Morcha .
Wednesday
fixed for pension inquiries
Ropar, May 23
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S.
Grewal, has fixed Wednesday as the day for making inquiries regarding
pension-related schemes.
Narang
is engineers’ panel chief
Bathinda, May 23
Mr Jaspal Singh Billing, General
Secretary of the Diploma Engineers’ Association PSTC Ltd., Punjab (DEA,
PSTCLP), in a press note issued here on Monday said Mr Sarabjit Singh
Toor and Mr N.K. Narang had been elected as the Chairman and
President, respectively, of the DEAP, STCLP for two years.
Neeru
is Summer Queen
Patiala, May 23
Ms Neeru Gupta was today crowned
Summer Queen at a contest organised by the Maharani Ladies Club in the
Vintage Hall of Rajendra Gymkhana Club.
Low
prices worry tomato growers
Gurdaspur, May 23
Tomato growers in the district
are finding it difficult to harvest the crop in view of its throwaway
prices. The tomatoes are being sold at rates varying from 50 paise to
Re 1 per kg in the open market. Mr Daler Singh tomato grower from
Babowal, 2 km from here, yesterday said the total expenses on the
cultivation of tomato crop were around Rs 15,000 per acre. The price
of seed alone varies from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per acre.
Irate
farmers block traffic
Abohar, May 23
The traffic on the
Abohar-Sriganganagar road was today blocked by an angry mob of
labourers for three hours to express their resentment over the alleged
poor arrangements for the lifting of wheat.
Badal
govt anti-farmer: Amarinder
Patiala, May 23
The Punjab Pradesh Congress
Committee President, Capt Amarinder Singh, today accused state Chief
Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, of not highlighting the problems of
decentralised procurement of foodgrains proposed to be implemented by
the Central Government.
HC
Judge inspects local courts
Fazilka, May 23
Mr Justice J.S. Narang of the
Punjab and Haryana High Court inspected the local courts here
yesterday. He was accompanied by Mr M.M. Singh Bedi, District and
Sessions Judge, Ferozepore.
New
Ropar DTO
Chandigarh, May 23
The Punjab Government has
modified the orders on the posting of Mr P.S. Gill, who was appointed
Secretary, Backfinco, yesterday.
No
takers for beef contract
Chhat Bir (Patiala), May
23
The “fake” bidder has failed
to turn up even after being shortlisted for the supply of meat for the
Chhat Bir zoo after his bid was accepted by the authorities over a
week back.
Four
highway robbers held
Bathinda, May 23
The Muktsar police has made a
breakthrough by arresting Kala Singh, Major Singh, alias Sabi, Ranjit
Singh, alias Babbu and Major Singh, residents of Tarmala village who
were allegedly involved in highway robberies and the looting of truck
drivers.
2
millers held for fee evasion
Bathinda, May 23
The district police yesterday
unearthed a racket involving the evasion of market fee and Rural
Development Fund on the transactions of foodgrains and arrested two
industrialists in this connection.
Gang
of truck thieves busted
Tarn Taran, May 23
Mr Jagdish Kumar Mittal, SSP,
told newsmen have yesterday that the Goindwal Sahib police had
unearthed a five-member state-level gang of truck thieves which had
been active in the state for a long time.
Staff
shortage in primary schools
Fazilka, May 23
There is a shortage of staff in
primary schools in Ferozepore district which has adversely affected
studies. During the past two years the vacancies in primary schools
have not been filled. Moreover 700 trained graduate teachers who had
been working against JBT posts in primary schools have been recently
promoted and about 500 JBT teachers retire every month thereby
increasing the number of vacancies in primary teachers.
Sale
of coolers dips with mercury
Bathinda, May 23
After rain in the region
residents are heaving a sigh of relief as it has brought down the
mercury level. But the cooler industry may see a dip in their sales.
The cooler industry of the city is the second largest in the state and
coolers manufactured here are supplied to far-off places in Punjab and
neighbouring states of Haryana and Rajasthan. Low investment and high
profit has attracted a number of small-time businessmen, but many of
them may end up making losses.
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