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Oppn parties close ranks on drought
Chandigarh, August 10
As all major opposition parties in Punjab closed ranks on the drought issue today, the ruling Congress was likely to be isolated on this issue. At the moment, the drought has devastated almost the entire state.
Badal to file petition in HC
Jalandhar, August 10
Following the arrest of a number of former Akali ministers and workers, the SAD has decided to take legal recourse to seek the prosecution of “tainted” former ministers and senior Congress leaders, indicted by the then Lok Pal.
Registration of fake power
of attorneys alleged
Ropar, August 10
After the fake power of attorney racket detected in Dudhan Sadhan area of the Patiala district, a similar racket in the Ropar district has surfaced. Investigations by The Tribune reveal that in December 2001 as many as 226 power of attorneys of Haryana were registered in the Nangal subtehsil of the district.
Two-day police remand for Kohar
Jalandhar, August 10
A former Punjab minister and president of the district unit of the Akali Dal, Mr Ajit Singh Kohar, was today remanded in two days’ police custody by the Duty Magistrate, Mr D.K. Mittal, here in a case pertaining to amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
‘Sarna kin, Sajjan Kumar’s son pals’
Amritsar, August 10
Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former Akal Takht Jathedar and Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee traded charges.
The former Akal Takht Jathedar handed over cellular phone bills of Mr Anil Kumar (son of Mr Sajjan Kumar, allegedly involved in anti-Sikh riots of November 1984) and Mr Harwinder Singh Sarna (brother of Mr Paramjit Singh
Sarna, president, DSGMC) as proof of their alleged links.
U-turn by Mann on Jathedar issue
Jalandhar, August 10
Virtually taking a U-turn, the president of the SAD (Amritsar) and MP, Mr Simranjeet Singh Mann, today said his party recognised Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as Jathedar of Akal Takht on technical grounds.
BSP to contest Nagar Council poll alone
Phagwara, August 10
The Punjab unit of the BSP will alone contest the September 8 Nagar Council elections here and in Muktsar and Nagar Panchayat elections in Ajnala and Rayya. This was stated yesterday by Mr Satish Bharti, state secretary-cum-in charge of the party affairs in Punjab.
Noormahalias, a ‘social body’
Letter sent to Vedanti
Jalandhar, August 10
The Noormahalia-based Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, headed by Baba Ashutosh, also known as “Noormahalia Baba” has clarified that the “sansthan” was a socially-oriented organisation and not a separate sect or a separate religious body.
Disciple denies charge
Jalandhar, August 10
Even as the parents of Amarpreet, a preacher of Noormahal-based Divya Jyoti Sansthan, levelled serious allegations against Ashutosh, head of the Noormahlia sect, Amarpreet yesterday came out in his support and termed allegations against him a conspiracy hatched by certain unscrupulous elements to defame the
sansthan.
Cholera case reported in Patiala
Patiala, August 10
A cholera case has been reported in the city which can spread further as two more patients admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital are suspected to be suffering from cholera.
NGOs urged to encourage
self-employment
Patiala, August 10
The Mayor, Mr Vishnu Sharma, today appealed to non-government organisations (NGOs) to
encourage people to set up Self Help Groups instead of depending on middlemen.
Trees axed on vanamahotsav day
Bathinda, August 10
Even as the Punjab Forest Minister, Mr Harbans Lal, planted a sapling near the local Forest office to mark the 53rd vanamahotsav this evening, more than a dozen trees were axed by the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant
authorities in the plant’s residential colony yesterday.
HIGH COURT
Rights denial can be probed in habeas plea
Chandigarh, August 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant judgement, has ruled that court may look into a violation of the right to life and liberty in a habeas corpus petition.
In a ruling, Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the High Court has held: “Normally in a habeas corpus petition, the court is concerned with the legality of detention and once the alleged detainee is no longer in custody, the court does not proceed further with the matter.
SGPC to reopen
siropa-scam case
Amritsar, August 10
An executive meeting of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was held here today. It accepted the demand of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal
to reopen the ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) scam.
Punjab senior AAG dead
Chandigarh, August 10
Additional Advocate-General Shamsher Singh Shergill (52) died of a massive heart attack this morning. Mr Shergill was appointed to the present post by the Congress Government soon after taking over in March this year.
Jawan dies during PT drill
Bathinda, August 10
An Army personnel died of a cardiac arrest yesterday at the cantonment here during the PT drill.
As per reports, the jawan, was doing routine drill exercise at around 6 a.m. along with other jawans, when he felt uneasy. After sometime he collapsed. He was admitted to the Military Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Medical representative ‘beaten up, detained’
Bathinda, August 10
Members of the Punjab Medical Representative Association in an application to the Deputy Commissioner today demanded the registration of a criminal case against a senior police official and an official of a pharmaceutical company for the alleged beating and detention of a medical representative Mr Ripudaman Virk on the premises of a hospital being run by Dr Mohinder Singh yesterday.
Punjab rapped for poor fund utilisation
Amritsar, August 10
The Central Minister of State for Rural Development Mr M.K. Patil, today criticised the state government for its “poor and tardy” utilisation of Central funds for various rural development schemes.
Punjab DGP favours commissionerate system
Phillaur, August 10
The Director-General of Police, Punjab Mr M.S. Bhullar, has said the police commissionerate system should be introduced in the state. He said this at the Punjab Police Academy here after participating in the valedictory function of the specialised training programme for Afghan police officers today.
Misappropriation in
paddy stocks
Faridkot, August 10
Mr Devinder Singh, SDM, has alleged that the negligence on the part of two government agencies in the district has caused a loss of crores to the Punjab Government on account of misappropriation of paddy by various rice millers in Faridkot and Kotkapura during 2001-2002.
Rice stocks worth 1.5 cr missing
Mansa, August 10
Bags of rice worth Rs 1.5 crore were found missing on physical verification of wheat and paddy stocks belonging to different agencies carried out in godowns and rice mills located in the district by three Sub-Divisional Magistrates.
Diamonds seized, 3 held
Ropar, August 10
The Sales Tax Department has seized diamonds worth crores which were allegedly being smuggled into the state.
Highly placed sources in the department said the diamonds were seized from three Mumbai-based brokers on August 7 on a specific tip-off.
ST will make curry bitter, say dhaba owners
Amritsar, August 10
Over 20,000 dhaba owners in the state have condemned the imposition of 8.8 per cent Sales Tax. The Punjab Dhaba Welfare Association, at a state-level convention here today, urged the Punjab Government to withdraw the tax.
CITU to launch mass movement
Ropar, August 10
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions will launch a nationwide mass movement against WTO policies of globalisation, privatisation and liberalisation in September to force the Union Government to give up its “anti-worker” policies which have led to the closure of 7 lakh factories in the country and large-scale unemployment.
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