TB, scabies prevalent in Central Jail
Ludhiana, September 6
Tuberculosis, scabies, hypertension and drug addiction are the most common diseases prevalent among the inmates of Central Jail, Ludhiana. This is the finding of a research study by four doctors who undertook an extensive medical examination of the inmates in the first ever health check-up scheme launched by the State Jails Department.

POLITICS

BJP councillors boycott meeting
Bathinda, September 6
As many as three municipal councillors belonging to the BJP while boycotting the general house meeting of the municipal council here today announced that they would oppose sitting MLA and Punjab Science and Technology Minister, Chiranji Lal Garg in the coming Assembly elections.

PPCC to wind up NRI Sabha
Jalandhar, September 6
The controversy surrounding the functioning of the NRI Sabha, Punjab, has taken a new turn with the PPCC resolving to wind up the sabha. In the manifesto, being drafted by its poll manifesto committee, the committee has also promised that a high-level probe will be conducted into the functioning of the sabha, if the Congress comes to power.

COMMUNITY

PHSC’s denial on substandard medicines
Chandigarh, September 6
The Punjab Health Systems Corporation today denied press reports alleging the use of substandard medicines in hospitals under the corporation. A press note issued by the corporation asserted that these allegations were not based on facts and were being made by vested interests who had failed to secure orders for supplying medicines to the PHSC.

Warrant officer raids police station
Abohar, September 6
A warrant officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court conducted a raid on the city police station here after midnight to find whether any person had been illegally detained in connection with Tuesday’s incidents of violence. Police sources claimed that three persons, identified as Sher Singh, Sandeep Kumar and Parmod Kumar had been arrested for alleged involvement in two cases registered at the police station.

Link roads neglected 
Pathankot
Big budgets and development activities are for the cities and big villages represented by “favourites” of the Chief Minister and other party functionaries is the feeling among the residents of more than 20 villages that fall in Narot Mehra constituency of Pathankot sub-division.

Morcha for amnesty to misled youths
Phillaur, September 6
The newly formed Punjab Lok Morcha headed by Jathedar Kuldip Singh Wadala has urged the Union Home Ministry that amnesty should also be given to misguided youths if the government considers giving it to security personnel. This was stated at a state-level meeting of the Punjab Lok Morcha in Noormahal here today. The meeting was attended by Mr Teja Singh Tiwana, president, Samajwadi Party, Punjab, and Mr Mukhtiar Singh, Republican Party of India, and an Akali leader, Mr Sucha Singh Johal.

12 waterworks for Mansa district
Mansa, September 6
Twelve waterworks will be set up in the district with an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore, Ms Raji P. Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, told mediapersons after reviewing the progress of development projects in the district today.

Minister launches drainage project
Bathinda, September 6
The work on various projects for the development of the city will be completed on time. Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and Technology Minister said this while inaugurating a drainage project for the Harbans Nagar and Model Town locality of the city, today.

Telecom employees stage dharna
Hoshiarpur, September 6
On the call given by circle unions of the All-India Telecom Employees Union line staff, class-III and group-D workers of the Telecom Department, Hoshiarpur, staged a dharna in front of the office of the General Manager, Telecom here today to draw the attention of the government towards acute shortage of staff, blackmailing by some of the members of the Telecom Advisory Committee and to save the BSNL from corrupt practices and extravagant activities.

Misbehaviour by pharmacist: probe ordered
Sangrur, September 6
Tension prevailed in the local Civil Hospital yesterday after the death of Satya Rani, a local resident as her family members alleged that a pharmacist who was on duty in the emergency ward “misbehaved” with them.

Scheme for weaker sections to be extended
Chandigarh, September 6
To provide residential accommodation to the weaker sections, the Punjab Government has allotted 17,934 plots of 5 marla each to the homeless and poor in the rural areas free of cost.

PCMS Association’s plea to Badal
Patiala, September 6
The president of the PCMS Association, Dr Hardeep Singh, today condemned the state administration for its inability to provide the state-run government hospitals attached with Government Medical Colleges with emergency and life-saving drugs, hospital equipment and material.

Municipal workers block traffic
Patiala, September 6
The workers of the local Municipal Corporation today blocked traffic on the main road in protest against the state government’s move to abolish octroi. Workers first took out a procession in various markets following which they came on the Mall Road and blocked the traffic creating commotion for at least an hour. Mr Sukhminder Singh Dinki, general secretary of the Municipal Workers Union addressed the rally.

• Madan Mohan nite on Sept 9

ADMINISTRATION

Probe into encroachments on panchayat land ordered
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 6
Following reports about encroachments on panchayat land by demolishing the Panchayat Ghar at Lohari Kalan village in the district, the Deputy Commissioner has ordered a probe to be conducted by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Zila Parishad.

MP gives cheques to panchayats
Nawanshahr, September 6
The Congress MP from Phillaur, Ms Santosh Chaudhary, yesterday distributed cheques among various panchayats for carrying out development works. She gave a cheque for Rs 1 lakh to the gram panchayat, Hargobindpur, for the construction of a Dalit dharamshala, Rs 50,000 to Dhangerpur village, Rs 75,000 to Majhoor village, Rs 30,000 to Ramraipur village, and Rs 50,000 to Bhagauran village. She also gave Rs 1 lakh to the local Mohalla Ravidass Nagar for the construction of a Dalit Dharamshala and Rs 1.25 lakh for the primary school at Guru Ravidass Nagar.

No official to register land deeds at Bhikhi
Mansa, September 6
During a sangat darshan programme held here on August 16, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal had announced with great fanfare the creation of a new sub-tehsil at Bhikhi town of the district and issued directions that the work for the sub-tehsil should commence forthwith. He also issued order for the transfer of the headquarters of the Naib Tehsildar, Mansa, to Bhikhi. Mr Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, MLA, Mansa, formally inaugurated the sub-tehsil at Bhikhi and on the occasion Mr Jatinder Paul Singh Saggu, Tehsildar-cum-Sub-Registrar, Mansa, registered five sale deeds at Bhikhi.

Absentees to be punished: DC
Patiala, September 6
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, today instructed officials to remain on duty especially during the hearing hours from 12 noon to 1.30 pm. Speaking during a sangat darshan programme at Red Corss Hall here. Mr Bir said an inspection would be carried out and anyone found absent from duty or found lethargic during office hours would be strictly punished.

• Police team to probe assault

CRIME

Woman found murdered
Ropar, September 6
A 35-year-old woman, Surinder Kaur of Haweli village near here was brutally murdered yesterday. The murder came to light when the husband of deceased, allegedly came home for lunch at about 1 p.m. In a complaint lodged with the police, he said when his consistent knocking on the outer door did not evoke any response, he entered through the rear door and he found his wife murdered in a half-naked position, on the floor of the bedroom. He also alleged that the about Rs 7000 were also missing from the house.

Dowry case against Cong leader
Hoshiarpur, September 6
The police has registered a case under Sections 498-A, 323 and 324, IPC, against Ms Prem Mehta, president, mahila wing of the District Congress Committee here and her family on Tuesday on a complaint of her daughter-in-law for allegedly torturing her.

25-year-long wait for revenge
Amritsar, September 6
To avenge his brother’s murder Ajinder Singh today shot at Jagtar Singh in his house after waiting for 25 years. Jagtar Singh, who was shot from point blank range this afternoon, is struggling for life at a private nursing home where he was admitted with three gun shot wounds from a .32 bore pistol.

Man robbed of Rs 68,000, killed
Malerkotla, September 6
A person was robbed and shot dead while a labourer was found murdered near here in past 24 hours. According to information, some persons looted Rs 68,000 from Rajkumar, a worker at Guru Nanak Girls School, Ahmedgarh, yesterday and shot him dead with a .12-bore pistol.

Armed men loot 9 lakh from bank
Moga, September 6
Four car-borne armed men looted Rs 9 lakh from a Punjab National Bank branch at Buttar Kalan village this afternoon, bank and police sources said. The robbers, after depriving the six-member bank staff of their valuable and locking them in the record room, fled in a white Maruti car.

Three stolen cars recovered
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 6
The police has claimed to have recovered three cars stolen from different districts along with a revolver. While addressing a press conference here today, Mr H.S. Saran, SSP, Fatehgarh Sahib, said on a specific information, the SHO, Sirhind, Mr Harpreet Singh, had put up a naka at Madhopur chowk, Sirhind.

Vehicle thieves’ gang busted
Patiala, September 6
The Patiala Police has busted a gang of two-wheeler thieves and recovered three vehicles from their possession, besides other stolen goods.

EDUCATION

HC stays minimum marks withdrawal
Chandigarh, September 6
In less than a week before counselling for admission to the MBBS and BDS courses was to commence, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of an advertisement issued on August 26 by the Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences whereby the condition of 40 per cent marks in PMET-2001 was withdrawn for candidates belonging to Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and other backward classes.

IT institute fails to attract students
Patiala, September 6
The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Institute of Information Technology, Punjabi University, is struggling to keep itself afloat with only 60 per cent of its seats being filled and teaching activity erratic due to the lack of adequate staff.

Teacher summoned for beating student
Pathankot, September 6
Mr Harish Anand, Judicial Magistrate, yesterday summoned Mani Ram, a teacher of Government Senior Secondary School, Narot Jaimal Singh, under Section 500 of the IPC following a complaint filed by Yudhishter Kumar, father of Deepak Kumar, a class X student of the school.

Gulzar Singh is Dean, varsity council
Amritsar, September 6
Mr Gulzar Singh, former DPI (Colleges), Punjab, has been appointed Dean, College Development Council of Guru Nanak Dev University, by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.P. Singh. Mr Gulzar Singh took over here on Tuesday.

Scheme to check school dropouts
Faridkot, September 6
The Central Government has launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (movement for education for all) to promote elementary education and check dropouts in schools. Initially, the six districts of Faridkot, Ferozepore, Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar and Sangrur have been selected for the scheme. A grant of Rs 91 lakh had already been given to these districts to start with the plan. Of this Rs 11.75 lakh will be spent in this district, said Mrs Sukhmander Kaur Brar, District Education Officer (Primary), here today.

• ‘Involve teachers in policy-making’

• Teachers await salaries