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Amarinder gives Badal anxious moments
Ludhiana, September 5
The mega event of the 400th anniversary of installation of Guru Granth Sahib in the Golden Temple has passed off with all its glamour, festivity and devotion. But it has left behind a trail of political ramifications. Institutionally in the Sikh system, it was the SGPC which was expected to be in the forefront.

Hunters fall in wildlife net
Chandigarh, September 5
Acting on a tip-off from the villagers in Batala, Punjab Wildlife officials have nabbed five hunters belonging to the infamous Shikaligar tribe just before they were about to net eight wild cats for food.

Banned fish being bred in Moga, Ferozepore
CHANDIGARH: Are panchayats of various villages in Punjab aware that Thai magur, which they consider as a profit-yielding fish species, is, in fact, banned ? Do they know that this species that they harvest in ponds can harm the native fish fauna, if it accidentally entered nature?

Eyebrows raised over appointment of SGPC Secretary
Amritsar, September 5
The appointment of Mr Raghbir Singh, personal assistant to the SGPC President, as Secretary has raised eyebrows. Since Mr Dalmeg Singh is already working as Secretary, Mr Raghbir Singh would automatically become Chief Secretary on the basis of his seniority.

Rare Adi Granth manuscripts in Paris
Amritsar, September 5
Rare manuscripts of the Adi Granth, considered among the oldest, have been found in Paris. This has been disclosed by Mr Jean-Marie Lafont, a recognised historian who has written some books on Sikhism, in a communication to Mr Tarlochan Singh, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.

News Analysis
Punjab caught between political indiscipline, fiscal crunch
Chandigarh, September 5
Punjab is in the pincer of political instability and financial crunch. If political estrangement rather than political engagement, both within the Congress and between the Congress and the Akalis, is an impediment in ensuring sustainable development, so is the continuing grim financial situation.

Punjab schools closed today Ludhiana, September 5 Punjab Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar today declared a holiday on September 6 in all schools of the state. He was speaking at a state-level function to mark Teachers Day at Guru Nanak Bhavan here. TNS

4 released from illegal police custody
Fazilka, September 5
Four persons who had allegedly been kept in illegal custody at police station, Khui Khera, in this subdivision were released after a raid by Warrant Officer of Punjab and Haryana High Court around midnight. According to available details the persons, kept in illegal custody included Buta Singh (80) and Jagnandan Singh (65).

Rejected for job, topper writes to Kalam
Patiala, September 5
Punjabi University does not apparently believe in its own examination system. The university has ignored a girl who topped in its Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology while selecting three former students of the Psychology Department for posts of Technical Assistant, who are to give specialised training in counselling to students of the department.

Software to convert Punjabi script to Shahmukhi script Chandigarh, September 5 Punjabi University, Patiala, has developed a software enabling the conversion of the Gurmukhi script to the Shahmukhi script with just a click of the mouse. It will be gifted to eminent guests from West Punjab (Pakistan) at the World Punjabi Meet to be held in the university from October 11 to 13.                                                                              Gurpreet Singh Lehal

DC orders probe into torture of students
Bathinda, September 5
Fear has gripped students of Government Elementary School of Chak Ruldu Singh Wala village of this district after some students of third standard were allegedly tortured by a teacher yesterday as a punishment for making noise in the classroom.

COMMUNITY

Singla pitches for FCI’s privatisation
Patiala, September 5
Punjab Finance Minister Surinder Singla today made a case out of proposed privatisation of the Food Corporation of India and handing over of the procurement process to private traders, saying the country would make major savings in the process.

Punjab to set up third Finance panel
Chandigarh, September 5
Punjab is shortly to set up the Third Finance Commission. It will be headed by a former Chief Secretary, Mr A.S. Chatha, who was earlier Chairperson of the Chief Minister’s Advisory Committee on Industrial Growth and Development of Relevant Infrastructure.

Cong not to hold rally on Abdul Hamid’s martyrdom day
Assal Uttar (Amritsar), September 5
The Congress has decided not to hold a parallel rally to mark the 39th martyrdom day of Hav Abdul Hamid on September 9 who had destroyed three Pakistani Patton tanks during the Indo-Pak war of 1965, in the Khemkarn sector here.

Prospect of Defence Act worries civilians
Pathankot : The very 'existence' of the town is under threat due to the delayed enforcement of the Defence Act 1903 by the Army and air force authorities. Under Section 3 of the Defence Act 1903 no construction is allowed within 1 km periphery of the ammunition, ordnance or air force stations.

Malhi for simplifying Canada’s immigration policy
Moga, September 5
He immigrated at the age of 26 and today he is the first turbaned MP of Canada. Mr Gurbax Malhi, who recently became a Canadian MP for the fourth successive time, was in the city on the occasion of quadricentennial celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib.

Migrants protest against police inaction
Abohar, September 5
A large number of migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar today staged a dharna and held a demonstration in front of the city police station here to express resentment over the police failure to nab the son of a dhaba owner.

Railway union demands white paper on loss
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 5
The Uttriya Railway Mazdoor Union today organised a function at Railway Station Sirhind to celebrate Golden Jubilee of the Union. Hundreds of delegates from the Mandal participated in the celebrations.

Portugese Ambassador visits Golden Temple
Amritsar, September 5
Mr Marcuss, Ambassador of Portugal to India, along with his wife, Maria, and daughter paid obeisance at the Golden Temple last night.

Rafi award for Shakti Kapur
Amritsar, September 5
Famous Bollywood actor in villain and comedian role, Shakti Kapur, would be awarded with the best comedian and character artist award by the Mohmmad Rafi Memorial Society at the 24th Mohmmad Rafi award function to be held on September 5 here.

Be prepared for post-WTO scenario, says forum
Patiala, September 5
The Forum for Common Cause has appealed the government and agencies concerned to gear up for the post-WTO scenario in education in the country.

Pherurai threatened me: Vigilance DSP
Moga, September 5
Former Ferozepore SSP Gurcharan Singh Pherurai has reportedly threatened Vigilance DSP Surjeet Singh Khosa who is investigating a complaint against him. Mr Pherurai hit the headlines during the PPSC's job-for-cash scam and for issuing fake arms licences.

PCMS Association condemns arrest of doctor
Bathinda, September 5
The PCMS Association, Bathinda, today condemned the arrest of one of its members, Dr Ramesh Maheshwary, Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, by a team of Vigilance Bureau yesterday by falsely implicating him in a corruption case.

PSEB officials held hostage, freed
Moga, September 5
Farmers of Tiwana village yesterday held hostages Punjab State Electricity Board officials from Sangrur when they reached the village to snap the connections of those who had not paid power bills. The farmers led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta held them hostages for about three hours and let them off only after they restored their power connections.

Baba crawls on a peace mission
Phagwara, September 5
In a unique “world peace mission”, Baba Mohan Dass, know as Ludhkan Baba, who started his “crawling journey” from Ambey Ashram Kalmorra in Madhya Pradesh on January 28 to Amritsar, reached here this evening.

COURTS

Lawyers strike work
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 5
Members of the District Bar, Fatehgarh Sahib, yesterday observed strike in protest against the alleged lathicharge on lawyers at Lucknow.

AGRICULTURE

No dearth of fertilisers in Punjab, claims Markfed
Chandigarh, September 5
For farmers in Punjab, there will be no dearth of fertilisers, at least this is what Markfed — supplying 35 per cent of plant food in the state — is claiming. The reason, Markfed authorities say, is not hard to see.

CRIME

TV journalist accused of blackmailing doctor
Bathinda, September 5
The Bathinda unit of the Indian Medical Association today alleged that Mr Rajiv Singla, a local correspondent of Jain TV (a news channel) had made an attempt to blackmail one of its members, Dr O.P. Mittal, by threatening to telecast adverse publicity material about the doctor.

Police registers case against student leaders
Patiala, September 5
The police has registered a case against three students who were allegedly involved in a murderous brawl with another group on the campus last Thursday although no arrests have been made till yet.

Villager murdered
Phillaur, September 5
An old villager, Avtar Singh (75), was allegedly murdered with sharpedged weapons by some unidentified assailants at nearby village Raipur-Raina in Phillaur subdivision this afternoon.

FCI’s wheat stock recovered
Faridkot, September 5
The police has recovered 600 quintals of wheat out of the total of 725 quintals sent from Kotkapura to Udaipur. The truck drivers, who absconded with the wheat stock on the way, have also been arrested. Three trucks have been seized.

Woman held for running brothel
Sangrur, September 5
The police raided a house on the Hareri road here today and arrested a woman for allegedly running a brothel.

Suspended cop held with stolen car
Moga, September 5
The CIA staff of the district has arrested a suspended police constable, Surjeet Singh, and his aide, Jaswant Singh, alias Jassi, and recovered a stolen car, four fake number plates and two fake registration copies from their possession.

EDUCATION

Participants at a two-day workshop on lifestyle and education at Multani Mal Modi College in Patiala, which concluded on Sunday. — Photo by R.S

Teachers’ recruitment to
start soon
Ludhiana, September 5
Taking serious note of absenteeism by teachers and students in schools, Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar said he had directed all district education officers and circle education officers to frequently check the schools and submit their performance reports.

Study for 6 months, pay for 12
Faridkot, September 5
Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot, and Government Medical College, Amritsar, have been overcharging students of the MBBS (final year) for the past several years.

Fate of six students hangs in the balance
Amritsar, September 5
The fate of at least six students seeking admission to BDS course at Guru Ram Dass Institute of Dental Sciences hangs in the balance even as the Guru Ram Dass Charitable Trust under the SGPC called an emergency meeting of its members in Chandigarh to solve the vexed issue.

Artistes from the NTAS perform “Chandni Chowk Ton Sirhind Tak”, directed by Pran Sabharwal, as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations of Guru Granth Sahib at Baradari Garden in Patiala on Sunday. — Photo by Rajesh Sachar

Giani Dit Singh’s anniversary
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 5
The 103rd anniversary of Giani Dit Singh, a Sikh scholar, writer, journalist and great philosopher would be commemorated at Giani Dit Singh memorial auditorium at BBSB Engineering College on September 6th by Giani Dit Singh Memorial International Society.

Dr Tung quits Farid varsity board
Faridkot, September 5
Dr.B.S.Tung, a founder member of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, here quit the Board of the management of the varsity recently. His differences n with Dr.J.S.Gujral, Chairman of the Board and Vice-Chancellor of the University, which surfaced during a board meeting at Chandigarh in May last, are said to have led this action.

‘Free teachers from other duties’
Faridkot, September 5
Mr Kuljit Singh Walia ,vice-president, National and State Awardee Teachers Association, Punjab, has sought the abolition of the interference of Panchayts in schools.