THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

P U N J A B

Top stories | Politics | Community | Agriculture

Crime | Education

SGPC may move SC on issue of ‘Sehajdharis’
Amritsar, August 29
Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, President, SGPC, today announced that the SGPC could move the Supreme Court if the Central Government failed to debar ‘Sehajdharis’ from voting during the elections of gurdwaras.

Sehajdharis should get right to vote: Rinwa
Chandigarh, August 29
Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, President of the Punjab unit of the BJP, said here today that the Sehajdhari Sikhs should not be denied the right to vote in the SGPC elections. Replying to a question in this connection at a press conference, Mr Rinwa said his party was for giving the right to vote to the Sehajdhari Sikhs.

Oppn MCs demand probe
Charges of corruption in council
Bathinda, August 29
The incident of beating up of two BJP municipal councillors by some SAD councillors during a meeting yesterday opened the Pandora’s box as various political parties today demanded a high-level probe into the allegations of rampant corruption in the working of the council.

CBI begins probe against Chohan
New Delhi, August 29
After nearly 17 years, the CBI has begun investigations into a case against Jagjit Singh Chohan, who spent decades in exile espousing the cause of so-called “Khalistan” before returning to India recently.

TB Hospital may be derecognised
Bed occupancy comes down to 25 pc
Amritsar, August 29
The bed occupancy of the prestigious TB Hospital spread over 10 acres has come down to about 25 per cent, which may lead to de-recognition of the post-graduation and undergraduation degrees being run by the hospital by the Medical Council of India.

No relief for kin of mishap victims
Jalandhar, August 29
Families of eight city-based scheduled caste pilgrims, who were killed in a road accident on their way to Manikaran Sahib in Himachal Pradesh on August 14, are a disgruntled lot as no compensation has been paid to them by the state government so far.

POSTINGS/TRANSFERS
New Presiding Officer of ST Tribunal
Chandigarh, August 29
The following postings and transfers were ordered in Punjab today, according to an official release: Dr Dinesh Chandra is the new Presiding Officer, Sales Tax Tribunal, vice Mr Kamal Nain Singh, who retires on August 31.

POLITICS

Cong blames Badal for ‘misrule’
Ludhiana, August 29
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has charged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, with misrule during the past four years in the state leading to “rampant corruption, collapse of the Panchayti Raj and exploitation of the masses.”

No boycott of BJP functions: SAD
Malerkotla, August 29
A local Akali minister, Mr Nusrat Ikram Khan Bagga, today refuted the statements given by some local Akali leaders that the SAD would boycott BJP functions to be held here in the near future.

Sangrur dist chief of YC removed
Barnala, August 29
Mr Harinder Singh Seera Dhillon has been removed from the post of president, Youth Congress, Sangrur district. According to an office order of Indian Youth Congress, New Delhi, signed by Mr Nitin Sharma, permanent secretary, issued to the newsmen here today, Mr Jagtar Singh Dhanaula has been appointed president of the District Sangrur Youth Congress with immediate effect.

COMMUNITY

Two die as building caves in Bathinda, August 29 At least two persons were killed here this evening when a building under construction collapsed, in the cloth market area of the city. Sources said that the second floor of the building owned by Sarna Mal Nathu Ram was under construction and labourers were laying the RCC lintel this evening. The body of Behari Lal Mangla being taken out of the debris in Bathinda on Wednesday.

Minor’s rape and murder: police clueless
Residents of high-security area shocked
Patiala, August 29
The city police has failed to achieve a breakthrough in the case of the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in the high-security military cantonment here two days ago.

Rajpura Diary
Civic post remains unfilled
Rajpura
The post of vice-president of the Municipal Council of Rajpura had been lying vacant for more than a year since Mr Trilochan Dev assumed the post of president after a supreme court judgement. Since then the council has seen considerable political activity. A resolution to fill the vacant post was passed on July 3 and the election was to be held on August 24.

Bank workers’ union alleges irregularities
Bathinda, August 29
Mr Surinder Singla, zonal secretary of the Punjab National Bank Workers Union , has alleged that the financial institutes had become breeding houses of corruption and public money was being mismanaged. Mr Singla, in a written statement issued here today, alleged that financial institutes like the UTI and the LIC were examples of the mismanagement of public money and the non-performing assets of the banks had touched Rs 65,116 crore.

Situation normal in Samana
Patiala, August 29
The situation is returning to normal at Samana, about 30 km from here, where an outbreak of gastroenteritis had taken place due to the contamination of drinking water supply, with 20 patients remaining admitted in the sub divisional hospital there.

Detainees to get compensation
Chandigarh, August 29
The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today asked the Chief Secretary to process the case for the payment of suitable compensation to 250-odd youths who were long detained in Jodhpur jail in the wake of Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

YC: provide space for advocates’ chambers
Chandigarh, August 29
The Punjab Youth Congress today urged the state government to provide adequate space and assistance for the construction of chambers for advocates in judicial complexes all over the state.

CM condoles Bedi’s death
Chandigarh, August 29
The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today expressed grief over the sad demise of Dr Sohinder Singh Bedi (Wanjara Bedi). He had died in Delhi.

Brar opposes amnesty to cops
Faridkot, August 29
Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, MP and vice-president of the PPCC, has opposed the move to grant general amnesty to the police personnel who allegedly violated human rights during the days of militancy in Punjab. However, the Congress MP advocated taking steps for the rehabilitation of those hit by militancy.

AGRICULTURE

Efforts on to hit cotton target
Bathinda, August 29
Mr C.L. Bains, Finance Commissioner Development-cum-Secretary, Agriculture, Punjab, has said that the state government was taking all steps necessary to achieve the production target of 17 lakh bales of cotton this year and if the weather was favourable it would be achieved.

CRIME

3 arrested for murder
Bathinda, August 29
The district police has solved the mystery behind the missing of Darshan Singh, who was killed about three years ago, when it arrested Harjinder Singh, Gurjeet Singh and Sukhminder Singh, all residents of the district, today. Dr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said here today that all these persons killed Darshan Singh on September 9, 1998. He said they were also involved in dacoities at various places in Punjab and Haryana.

Two years’ jail for theft
Pathankot, August 29
Mr Karnail Singh, Judicial Magistrate, here yesterday convicted Mohan Lal of Dehriwal village and sentenced him for two years and fined him Rs 500 in a case of theft.

EDUCATION

No salary for elementary teachers
Bathinda, August 29
Members of the District Institute for Elementary Training Staff Association have alleged that they have not received their salaries for the past three months. The representatives of the union today met the Director of the State Council of Education and urged him to do the needful in this regard. The union leaders said the government should make arrangements so that they could draw their salaries.