Mr Gulzar Cheema, State Minister for Health Services, British
Columbia (Canada), presents a book on all-round development of
the British Columbia state to Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Agriculture
and Rural Development Minister, Punjab, at her residence in Chandigarh on
Monday. |
YEARENDER — 2002 PUNJAB
A year of belied hopes
Chandigarh
Events that unfolded in Punjab in 2002 are like the ever-changing patterns in a kaleidoscope, which makes it difficult to
shortlist ones that are either outstanding or stand out. For Punjab, it was an uninspiring year that belied hopes and expectations,
despite the switchover from Mr Parkash Singh Badal to Capt Amarinder Singh.
Crime wing to look into EPF scam
Ropar, December 23
The crime wing of Punjab Police will now supervise investigation into the EPF scam of GGSSTP. Sources told the correspondent that the ADGP, Crime, had written to the SSP Ropar to provide details of the investigation made in the case.
Withdraw support to Mufti govt, Cong urged
Amritsar, December 23
A former Youth Congress president and chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, today demanded the withdrawal of Congress support to the Mufti government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Allegation on poll deferment denied
Phillaur, December 23
The Punjab Local Bodies Minister, Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, has rejected the allegationslavelled by Akali MP Sukhbir Singh Badal that the Congress government did not want to hold civic poll in January as it had assessed that it would suffer heavy defeat.
Badal for disciplinary
action in Gujarat case
Ferozepore, December 23
The controversy over the alleged objectionable behaviour of three Punjab ministers during the Assembly elections in Gujarat has brought disgrace to the entire Punjabi community. These views were expressed by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while talking to the press here today.
Amarinder
meets Mohsina
New Delhi, December 23
The
Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today met AICC General
Secreatary Mohsina Kidwai and discussed political situation in the
state.
MP promises help to gang-rape victim
Hoshiarpur, December 23
Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, visited the house of a teenaged girl, Ritu, (not her real name) who was allegedly gang raped by some unidentified persons on the Amroh-Dharampur road on November 6, 2002 at Alera village, near Talwara yesterday.
Jagmeet joins fight for female child
Chandigarh, December 23
Female foeticide is “kanswad” and any practising doctor found guilty on this account should be punished with a minimum five-year ban on practice, advocates Mr Jagmeet Brar, MP, the latest to join the bandwagon of MPs from Punjab who are subscribing to issue-based-politics.
Jor
Mela: admn expecting
10 lakh visitors
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 23
The district administration has completed all arrangements for the smooth conduct of Saheedi Jor Mela that is to be held from December 25 to 28. The mela is held to remember the sacrifice of two sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Lakhs of persons from all over the globe come here to pay their obeisance to the martyrs.
Cultural meeting concludes
Pathankot, December 23
The four-day Kala Sangam All-India Open Cultural Meet-2002 concluded here today.
At least 500 artistes from various parts of the country participated in the meet.
PSEB begins payment to Railways
Patiala, December 23
The supply of coal to the Punjab State Electricity Board’s thermal plants is likely to improve in the coming days with the board prevailing on the Railway authorities to resume placing wagons at the disposal of coal companies to carry coal to the plants after releasing Rs 5 crore as payment.
Dharna by shopkeepers over police ‘frame-up’
Jalandhar, December 23
Hundreds of shopkeepers of the local Goal Market today staged a dharna outside police division No. 6 and blocked traffic on the road for about two hours to protest against the alleged implication of a shopkeeper in a false case on the complaint of a gunman of the SP (City), Mr Rakesh Kaushal.
Pulse polio campaign on Jan 5, Feb 9
Fatehgarh Sahib,
December 23
More than 70,000 children will be administered polio drops in the district during the state-level pulse polio campaign on January 5 and February 9, said Mr Vikas
Pratap, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over a meeting of district officials here.
Bank retirees demand
pension option
Amritsar, December 23
Retirees of the Bank of India, from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, yesterday urged the Ministry of Finance, to extend the second option of pension to all those who had retired between 1995 to 2002 onwards, with contributory pension as the last option in banking industry being given in the year 1995.
HIGH COURT
Students allowed to take exams
Chandigarh, December 23
Taking up a petition filed by the students of an engineering institute alleging illegal withholding of roll numbers by Punjab Technical University, Mr Justice Viney Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the respondents to allow the petitioners to appear for the examinations at their “own risk and responsibility”.
Closure of circus recommended
Amritsar, December 23
Gunning for circuses inflicting cruelty on animals to make them perform in front of audiences, the Animal Welfare Board of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests has prescribed strong action by the District Magistrate (DM) against a circus here today, ordering its closure and booking of a case for violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Car of complainant in Bhattal case hit
Bathinda, December 23
The local Human Rights Action Group has demanded a thorough inquiry into the mishap involving Mr Balwant Singh Dhillon, advocate and complainant in an embezzlement case registered against Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab Agriculture Minister, alleging that Mr Dhillon’s car was hit with a view to eliminate him under a deep-rooted conspiracy.
Adopt commercial outlook, farmers urged
Gurdaspur, December 23
The Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana here and ATMA jointly organised a function to celebrate ‘Kisan Divas’ as part of the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister Charan Singh. Dr H.S. Hansra, Additional Director General Extension ICAR was the chief guest and Mr K.A.P. Sinha, Deputy Commissioner, presided.
BKU(E) holds protest march
Bathinda, December 23
A large number of activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta), led by its district president Jhanda Singh Jethuke, today held a protest march through the town and burnt effigies of the WTO and Union and Punjab governments on the main road near the office of the Deputy Commissioner here in protest against their “anti-farmer” policies and in support of the farmers’ demands.
Four shops demolished
Patiala, December 23
The Patiala Municipal Corporation today demolished four shops constructed in a residential site in the Model Town area by a retired Colonel with the help of police and Special Magistrate.
Illegal
structure demolished
Amritsar, December 23
An unauthorised religious structure was demolished by the
Municipal Corporation authorities in a demolition operation here
today. The structure was under construction and was nearly raised to
three storeys on about 150 square yards of land.
Kidnappers held, boy rescued
Amritsar, December 23
The joint police party of Rajasthan and Delhi police today rescued a 13-year-old boy allegedly kidnapped a few days ago from Amrisar’s Katra Ahluwalia locality, near the Golden Temple.
SAD leader booked
Mansa, December 23
The police has registered a case on the complaint of Mr Jiwan Kumar, under Sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Krishan Singh, a SAD leader and municipal councillor of Tapa, Sangrur district.
Gang of robbers busted, four held
Patiala, December 23
The local police has arrested four persons, who it claimed, were responsible for a number of robberies in the area. Two scooters, two cycles and electronic gadgets were recovered from them.
Govt to open 1910 computer centres
Chandigarh, December 23
The Punjab Education Department has decided to set up 1910 centres in the state to impart computer education to schools students from class VI onwards. Each centre will cater to the needs of students within a radius about 5 Km. The fee per student will be Rs 10. Computers will be a compulsory subject.
HC order puts varsity students in quandary
Chandigarh, December 23
Parents of newly admitted MBBS students of Baba Farid University here today apprehended that their children may be asked to re-appear for counselling on December 30 and December 31.
Sangrur Zone Youth Fest results
Barnala, December, 23
The four-day long Punjabi University Sangrur Zone Youth Festival concluded at the local S.D.College on Saturday evening in which about 1,000 student participants belonging to various colleges of Sangrur Zone competed in 20 categories.
UGC refresher course
Patiala, December 23
The Punjabi University Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof R.N. Pal, today inaugurated a three-week UGC refresher programme here.
|
