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Kewal Singh’s resignation accepted
SGPC to raise ‘Operation Bluestar memorial’
Amritsar, February 20
The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee today accepted the resignation of Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar,Takht Damdama Sahib, who had to resign on January 10 under pressure when the Additional Sessions Judge, Bathinda, had vacated the stay order on the arrest warrants in the mysterious death of his daughter-in-law on May 18, 1997.

SGPC chief Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar while addressing a meeting in Amritsar on Wednesday. — Photo Rajiv Sharma

Martyrs denied place in House: Raj Babbar
Chandigarh, February 20
Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha member Raj Babbar here today accused the BJP and the Congress of failing to remove the British handed-down ‘’terrorist tag’’ in Parliament records to freedom fight martyrs like Bhagat Singh.

FINANCE PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS-I
Quasi-judicial authority to check corruption
Chandigarh, February 20
The Second Punjab Finance Commission has presumably based its recommendations on three assumptions. One, the state’s difficult financial situation that it perceives is unlikely to improve. Two, the menace of corruption that it says needs to be checked.

Students’ rally against VC
Patiala, February 20
The call for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, following the registration of a criminal case against him by Saru Rana, today gathered momentum when several student bodies along with the Forum for Educational Action and Reform pressed for his immediate removal. The forum has also called for his arrest.

• FIR part of  conspiracy, says Pbi varsity VC

• PUTA factions slug it out

Varsity Act not notified
Students’ fate uncertain
Ludhiana, February 20
The fate of the students of Medical Colleges in the state of Punjab, affiliated to Baba Farid University of Health Services hangs in the balance as the Act under which the university was created never came into force till date in the official gazette of the state government.

Universities operate from rented buildings
Faridkot, February 20
Punjab is perhaps one of few states where two technical education universities — Punjab Technical University (Jalandhar) and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (Faridkot) — continue to operate from rented buildings.

POLITICS

Paramilitary forces at SAS Nagar sought
Ropar, February 20
The District Election Officer, Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal, has requested the Chief Election Commissioner to allow him to deploy para military forces at the SAS Nagar counting centre.

Counting may be disturbed, fears Bir Devinder
Chandigarh, February 20
Mr Bir Devinder Singh, the Indian National Congress candidate from the 69 Kharar Assembly constituency in Punjab, today sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner expressing his apprehension that a candidate was planning to create disturbance at the time of counting by damaging the EVMs with the connivance of the Returning Officer.

Additional force for vote counting centre sought
SAS Nagar, February 20
Additional police force has been sought for the Kharar Assembly constituency counting centre at Shivalik Public School in Phase VI here. The Ropar Deputy Commissioner, on the request of the Returning Officer-cum-SDM, Mr Jai Pal Singh, has sought permission from the Election Commission for deployment of additional paramilitary force inside the counting centre and two more video teams in addition to the one that every counting centre is provided with.

In custody for ‘brother’s offence’
Ropar, February 20
A case of blatant violation of human rights by the Punjab police has come to the fore, with the Ludhiana police allegedly picking up and keeping in illegal custody a Nangal resident for an offence which the police suspects has been committed by his brother.

Haji Rattan Gurudwara named after a Muslim saint stands adjacent to a mosque in Bathinda. — A Tribune photo Kulbir Beera

Washermen’s appeal dismissed
Abohar, February 20
An appeal challenging a judgement given by Civil Judge Rajinder Aggarwal on February 8, 1999 filed by 43 residents of the town has been dismissed by Additional District Judge Gopal Krishan Dhir. The petitioners had opposed the move to demolish Dhobi Ghat in the old Suraj Nagri area.

Employees denounce 92nd Amendment
Jalandhar, February 20
The General Category Employees Welfare Federation has denounced the 92nd Amendment to the Constitution, which ensures accelerated seniority to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled tribes over general category employees in government jobs.

Chicken pox affects 9 villages
Mansa, February 20
Several residents of Lakhiwal, Talabwala, Uddat Saidewala, Hakamwala, Sherkhanwala, Maghania, Alampur Mandran, Sandli and Faridkot villages of the Boha area of the district and nearby area of Haryana on the Punjab-Haryana border, have been affected by chicken pox which will assume epidemic form if steps were not taken to check it.

Doctors violating MTP Act: panel
Sangrur, February 20
The District Advisory Committee, constituted for the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, at a meeting held here last evening asked the district health authorities to strictly implement the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, to check sex determination tests.

Ultrasound centres told to submit reports
Muktsar, February 20
All ultrasound scanning centres in the district have been asked to submit weekly reports of the tests performed in their centres on women between the age group of 15 and 45 years. The step has been initiated to check the increasing cases of abortions, particularly those female foeticide.

Traffic a major problem here
Pathankot, February 20
Traffic continues to be a major problem in this town. The administration has formulated a number of plans to control traffic, especially in markets, but due to lack of coordination between the administration and the police, the situation is deteriorating.

Parliamentary team visits border villages
Amritsar, February 20
A seven-member Parliamentary team yesterday held parleys with residents of the border villages of Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts at Kaunke village near Attari, 15 km from here.

Police memorial stadium opened
Sangrur, February 20
Mr Sarbjeet Singh, DGP, inaugurated a police martyrs’ memorial stadium at police lines here today. Mr Sarbjeet Singh urged the police officers to take inspiration from Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, and involve themselves in welfare activities.

Commuters want new train
Bathinda, February 20
Representatives of various social organisations, traders’ unions and panchayats of Haryana and Punjab have urged the Union Railway Minister to start a new DMU train between Bathinda and Sirsa so as to facilitate the commuters.

• No ticket collector for over 10 yrs

• Scribe’s death mourned

• 101-yr-old freedom fighter dead

• Seminar on Maharaja begins today