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TOP STORIES

SAD draws up plan to confront govt
Chandigarh, March 12
The Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal plans to keep the Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh on tenterhooks. It has already drawn up its strategy to confront the government on various issues in the Punjab Assembly next week. The Assembly session will be held from March 20 to March 22.

• Akalis shift focus to SGPC poll

• Chohan lashes out at Badal, Tohra

Mann firm on stopping SYL construction
Chandigarh, March 12
The SAD (A) leader, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, asserted today that the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, would never be able to fulfil his dream of getting Sutlej waters from Punjab through the SYL canal.

Attack in varsity to be probed
Patiala, March 12
Punjabi University Pro-Vice-Chancellor R.N. Pal today constituted a three-member committee to inquire into the circumstances which led to the attack on Dr H.S. Bhatti on March 5.

• CBI probe against VC sought

Replica of Amarnath Cave at temple
Jalandhar, March 12
Those devotees of Lord Shiva who could not afford the tedious travel to the holy Amarnath Cave in Jammu and Kashmir, need not worry as an exact and huge replica of the cave on the local Devi Talaab Temple premises has been thrown open for devotees on the occasion of Maha Shivratri today.

COMMUNITY

Illegal colonies continue to mushroom
Amritsar, March 12
Political interference has stonewalled government efforts for a planned growth of the city. Land mafia, “operating under political patronage”, has increased their landholdings, causing losses worth crores to the government.

Police-public meetings planned
Ludhiana, March 12
In continuation with people-oriented policing launched by the DIG Ludhiana Range, Mr Rohit Chaudhry, a police-public meeting will be organised at Ropar on March 17. Residents of this police district along with those in Ludhiana, Jagraon and Khanna can hope of better police services as the DIG has announced the setting up of mobile police stations, first of their kind in the state.

‘No war panel’ to visit border areas
Phagwara, March 12
Akali Dal (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann has constituted a seven-member “no war panel” that will tour border areas of Rajasthan.

Healthcare will be priority: minister
Hoshiarpur, March 12
The Congress government will provide basic health facilities in the state, Mr Romesh Chander Dogra, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, said here yesterday. He said the government would try to overcome the financial crisis by raising funds and curtailing expenditure.

Sikh bodies urged to help riot-hit

4 killed in mishap

Straw price hike hits dairy farmers
Ferozepore, March 12
The increase in prices of dry straw (toorhi) in Punjab, particularly in the districts of Ferozepore, Muktsar, Moga, Faridkot, Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur, has hit the dairy industry and poor peasants.

ADMINISTRATION

Ferozepore gets video- conferencing facility
Ferozepore, March 12
Ferozepore has become the second district in the state after Faridkot to have a videoconferencing facility via the V-Sat. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister and MLA, Guruharsahai, inaugurated the facility here today in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar.

CRIME

Permanent nakas to check smuggling
Bathinda, March 12
The state Excise Department authorities is thinking of setting up permanent police posts or nakas along the border belts apart from strengthening the mobile anti-smuggling wing.

EDUCATION

Racket in varsity admissions alleged
Amritsar, March 12
Veteran Communist leader Satya Pal Dang has demanded jobs for family members of terrorism victims on a priority basis. He has also raised the issue of alleged admission racket in Guru Nanak Dev University.

Refund fees, dental college told
Mansa, March 12
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, while disposing of a complaint of students of Khalsa Dental College and Hospital, Nangal Kalan, has issued orders to Mr Naginder Singh Harika, Managing Director of the college, to refund the admission fee charged from the students with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum and Rs 2,000 as costs within one month.

Govt crackdown on coaching centres
Ferozepore, March 12
The Punjab Government has decided to curb the growth of private coaching classes by way of accountability of Principals and managements of educational institutions.