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New
pension formula sent for review
Chandigarh, January 3
The pension commutation issue,
that has been hanging fire for the past several months in Punjab, has
been referred back to the Finance Department. Informed sources said
today that the Chief Minister’s Office had asked the Finance
Department to review the new pension commutation formula in view of
the several representations given by various organisations of
employees. Even a number of deputations of employees have also met the
Chief Secretary as well as the Chief Minister on this issue.
Special
buses to Pak may be reality
Amritsar, January 3
Even as the demand of the SGPC to
ply special buses to take pilgrims to Pakistan may be accepted by
India and Pakistan, the demand of the Shiromani Committee to start a
religious procession from Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib (Pakistan) to
Khadoor Sahib (Amritsar) to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Guru
Angad Dev in April may be turned down by the Central Government.
Mann decries siropa
to Badal, son
Amritsar, January 3
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann,
President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), yesterday criticised
French President Jacques Chirac’s legislation banning wearing of
articles of faith in public schools and regulating their wearing at
the workplace. Sikhs had historical links with the French and had been
instrumental in their victories in the two World Wars.
Ex-militants
to contest on ‘Khalistan’ issue
Jalandhar, January 3
A former militant leader and
chief of the newly-formed Shiromani Akali Dal (International), Atinder Pal Singh, yesterday announced that his party would contest
the forthcoming Lok Sabha, SGPC, and Vidhan Sabha elections on the
issue of “Khalistan.”
Satirical scheme
for drug addicts
Sangrur, January 3
Launching a campaign against the
use of drugs and intoxicants on New Year day, Charanjit Singh Kainth,
a Punjabi writer, announced a satirical “maha bumper scheme” for
drug addicts by distributing hundreds of handbills here and in other
parts of the district. In the handbill, he promised that the scheme
will continue for life.
Polio
case at Nangal
Ropar, January 3
Despite a persistent eight-year
vaccination campaign for the eradication of polio and repeated claims
of the Health Department that Punjab was a polio-free state, a case of
polio has been detected in Nangal area of Ropar.
Lack
of proper facilities led to jailbreak, say guards
Patiala, January 3
Guards of the Central Jail here
which witnessed a jail- break by two undertrials recently, today
claimed that the lack of proper lighting, deterioration of security
standards and practically no checking by senior officials were the
factors behind the escape of the two undertrials.
Withdrawal
of hike in petrol, diesel rates sought
Chandigarh, January 3
Prof Balwant Singh, Secretary of
the Punjab unit of the CPM, has demanded immediate withdrawal of hike
in the rates of petrol and diesel and called upon all political
parties and other organisations to launch mass agitations against the
anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA government.
CPI
leader Bhaura cremated
Malerkotla, January 3
The CPI MP from Bathinda, Bhan
Singh Bhaura (69), who died in Delhi during the intervening night of
January 2 and January 3, was cremated with full state honours here
today. His son, Dr Rajneek Singh, lit the pyre.
Musician
brings laurels to town
Abohar, January 3
Krishan Kumar, a member of the
socio-cultural organisation Natrang here, has brought laurels to the
town by winning a medal for his tabla performance at the 128th
Harballah Sangeet Sammelan at Jalandhar. He was accorded a warm
welcome by members of the organisation on his return today.
Brar’s
appeal to lawyers
Faridkot, January 3
Congress MP Jagmeet Singh Brar
has appealed to lawyers to utilise their energies to strengthen the
nation in the interest of society. He said this while addressing a
meeting of members of the District Bar Association here yesterday.
Sikh
bodies block traffic
Tarn Taran, January 3
A large number of activists of
various Sikh religious organisations today organised a traffic jam at
Rohiwala bridge here today in protest against the alleged holding of
functions by the followers of Jeewan Jyoti Jagran Sansthan Noormahal.
Falling profit
margin worries poultry farmers
Amritsar, January 3
Poultry farmers in Punjab are distressed over the decreasing profit
margins for their supply of poultry to Jammu and Kashmir. They have
now urged the Financial Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir, to take up
the matter with the Director, Food and Civil Supplies, to facilitate continuous
supply of poultry to the state, said Mr Arun Kumar, general
secretary of the Punjab Poultry Association.
MC to computerise
birth, death registration
Jalandhar, January 3
The Municipal Corporation here
has decided to issue computerised certificates of deaths and births in
bilingual format from the first week of February. Municipal
Corporation Commissioner Sarojini Gautam Sharda said here that it was
decided to provide all relevant dates regarding registration of death
and birth on its website www.mcjalandhar.com to enable the applicants
and the authorities concerned to download it.
Keep
watch on staff, DCs told
Chandigarh, January 3
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt
Amarinder Singh, yesterday directed all Deputy Commissioners and SSPs
to keep a close tab on the subordinate staff to check stray incidents
of corruption and ensure “clean, transparent and accountable
administration”.
Board
plans 2 gas-based power plants
Patiala, January 3
The Punjab State Electricity
Board has proposed the establishment of two gas-based power plants in
Bathinda and Doraha to take advantage of the gas pipeline which has
been completed till Panipat.
Panchayat
demolishes wall
Dera Bassi, January 3
Following the directions of the
Deputy Commissioner Patiala, Mubarikpur village panchayat today
demolished an unauthorised wall constructed by a family of Meerpur
village in past a couple of months.
Gang circulating
fake currency busted, 3 held
Jalandhar, January 3
Claiming that Pakistan’s ISI is
pumping fake Indian currency in to Punjab through its Dubai based
agents, the district police has busted a four-member gang for its
involvement in the distribution of fake currency to the tune of Rs 49
lakh during the past six months.
Love
marriage proves fatal
Hoshiarpur, January 3
Jaswant Kaur, alias Roopa, was
shot dead by her father Santokh Singh, a former sarpanch of Feroze
Rollian village, at Nathupur early this morning. Her husband Gurwinder
Singh was wounded in the firing.
Flesh
trade racket busted, 3 arrested
Amritsar, January 3
Kanwal (name changed), a Dalit (Majbi)
girl, has given startling facts about gangs in Punjab forcing girls
into flesh trade on the pretext of lucrative jobs. After escaping from
the clutches of the gang, she disclosed to the police how she was sold
in Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur and forced into flesh trade
after she was raped by two persons.
Ex-Miss
Punjab booked
Jalandhar, January 3
The police has booked former Miss
Punjab and three others on charges of duping a farmer of Rs 7 lakh on
the pretext of sending him to the USA. Mr Lakhwinder Singh of Polar
village in Kaithal district, in his complaint to the police, alleged
that former Miss Punjab and resident of Model Town, Parpreet Kaur
Brar, had duped him.
3
held, ornaments worth 60,000 recovered
Patiala, January 3
The local Kotwali police today
arrested three persons and recovered gold and silver ornaments worth
Rs 60,000. A case under Sections 457 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code
had been registered against the three accused.
Sales
tax evasion worth lakhs detected
Patiala, January 3
The mobile wing of the Excise and
Taxation Department has detected sales tax evasion worth lakhs of
rupees during surprise raids conducted in several cities of the state,
including Chandigarh.
Six Punjabi varsity
dons lose seniority Dean (Languages) resigns
Patiala, January 3
The seniority of six Professors
of Punjabi University granted by the former Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir
Singh Ahluwalia was struck down by the Syndicate, forcing one of them
to resign from the office of the Dean, Languages.
PTU
guidelines on quality education
Jalandhar, January 3
The Punjab Technical University
has issued guidelines to all engineering and management colleges
affiliated to it to impart quality education to the students using
emerging technologies. This was stated by PTU Vice-Chancellor Y.S.
Rajan during the first convocation of the local Apeejay Institute of
Management here today.
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| A
student receives her management degree from the
Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Technical University, Dr Y. S. Rajan, during
the first
Convocation of the APJ Institute of Management in Jalandhar on Saturday.
— Photo by S.S Chopra |
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