P U N J A B

Top stories | Community | Courts

Crime | Education

TOP STORIES

CM asks Chief Secy to look into MLAs’ charges
Patiala, February 25
Taking view of the serious charges levelled against the bureaucracy for its callous and non-responsive attitude by MLAs of the ruling party as well as the Opposition, the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has asked the Chief Secretary, Mr K.R. Lakhanpal, to look into the matter.

• Common man given relief in Budget: CM

Teachers on contract to be regularised soon, says Johar
Nawanshahr, February 25
As many as 12,000 teachers will be recruited in the state and the services of those who are on contract will be regularised the next month. This was stated by Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar while addressing a gathering at Government High School, Malewal, about 30 km from here, today.

Controversy over allowing company to sell surplus land
Chandigarh, February 25
A controversy has erupted within the Punjab Government over the issue of allowing Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited to sell its surplus land in Mohali. The company owes about Rs 20 crore to the Punjab Government and allotment of its land was cancelled in 2002.

Licences for denatured spirit: assn seeks probe
Chandigarh, February 25
Urging the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to order a high-level probe into the issuance of wholesale licences for the sale of denatured spirit in the state, the Denatured Spirit Association, Punjab, said today that certain close relations of officials of the Excise and Taxation Department, which was the licensing authority, had been allotted licences.

At last, some good news on sex ratio
Bathinda, February 25
While skewed sex ratio has assumed alarming proportions in Punjab, strict implementation of the PNDT Act, by probably the only PNDT Cell in the state, and awareness among people is bearing fruit in the district. The birth rate of girls has shot up by about 9 per cent in the district since 2002.

COMMUNITY

MC uses canal for discharging untreated sewage
Sujanpur (Gurdaspur), February 25
The Upper Bari Doab Canal which passes through Sujanpur town emits strong stench, causing nuisance to those residing near its banks and the passersby. Stench emits from the irrigation canal because untreated sewage of Sujanpur is discharged into the canal in violation of Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Irrigation Department’s guidelines.

BJP rues rising crime graph in Abohar
Abohar, February 25
The Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed concern over the rising drug and crime scene in the city. Reacting to the claims made by the Madhya Pradesh Governor, Dr Balram Jakhar, Mr Sandeep Rinwa, district general secretary of the BJP, said today that Abohar was now leading in the smack trade and other crimes.

All set for Virsa Sambhal Sammelan
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 25
The arrangements for the Virsa Sambhal World Sikh Sammelan to be held tomorrow at new grain market, Sirhind, have been completed. More than 5 lakh persons are expected to participate in the sammelan for which a huge pandal has been erected.

• Vedanti to stay away

‘Jaago’ campaign draws drug addicts to de-addiction centre

Bathinda, February 25 Aiming to curb rising drug menace in rural areas of Punjab, the Red Cross Drug De-addiction Centre, along with United Welfare Society, has launched a special sensitisation drive - ‘Jaago’ (wake up) under which processions are taken out in villages to highlight the ill effects of drugs on human body. Rural women hold a ‘Jaago’ procession to sensitise people on the drug menace at a Bathinda village. — Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

INS Vikrant aircraft handler lives in misery
Jalandhar, February 25
Serving for years with full dedication on India’s pride — the INS Vikrant — has hardly brought anything except misery to 72-year-old Sarup Singh, former Leading Aircraft Handler with the Indian Navy. He is tired of running after politicians and bureaucrats to get his pension and other benefits.

Residents burn copies of Punjabi daily
Sangrur, February 25
Hundreds of residents of Cheema village, birthplace of Baba Attar Singh, blocked traffic for about three hours on the Sunam-Mansa main road here today. They were protesting against the publication of “objectionable comments” against Baba Attar Singh in a Punjabi daily (not Punjabi Tribune).

Two health centres in each district
Mohali, February 25
In order to promote health facilities in rural areas, the government will set up two community health centres in each district of the state under the Rural Health Mission programme. A sum of Rs 20 lakh would be spent to setting up each unit.

Processions on Shivratri eve
Batala, February 25
A religious procession was taken out on the eve of Shivratri here today. Mr Vijay Parbhakar, patron of Shri Mahadev Seva Samiti, led the procession. It started from Old Grain Market culminated at Mian Mohalla after passing through Gandhi Chowk, City Road, Cinema Road, Circular Road, Khajuri Gate and other areas.

• “Shagun scheme” amount raised
• Daily wage earners on protest

COURTS

Over 4,600 cases settled at lok adalat
Gurdaspur, February 25
As many as 4625 pending cases were amicably settled in less than five hours at a special lok adalat organised here today by the Punjab Legal Services Authority. About 11450 cases that were hanging fire in various courts at Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot were up before the 43 specially constituted benches at district courts complex, Gurdaspur.

CRIME

Two cops booked as undertrial escapes
Moga, February 25
Two cops posted at Jalandhar, who had brought an undertrial to the city for hearing in his case, have been booked, as the accused escaped from their custody while they were returning to Jalandhar.

Self-immolation bid: 4 riot victims released
Patiala, February 25
Four widows who are victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and who were arrested yesterday by the local police after they held out a threat of self immolation in front of the residence of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, were released today from the Central Jail following the cancellation of a case registered against them.

Armed men attack patient’s visitors, 2 hurt
Amritsar, February 25
At least 12 armed persons today barged into government-run Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and injured two persons who had come to meet a patient. Personally enmity was the reason behind the attack.

• Minor girl being “forcibly married”

EDUCATION

Sainik School cadets await scholarships
Kapurthala, February 25
The cadets of Sainik School, Kapurthala, have not received their scholarships for the past two sessions despite repeated requests to the authorities concerned. According to information the Punjab Government has failed to release the scholarship amount of around 76 lakh for 195 cadets from Punjab.

Jashan-2006 inaugurated
Amritsar, February 25
Youth Festival JASHAN-2006 commenced with Bhangra, a popular folk dance of Punjab at Guru Nanak Dev University, here yesterday. Mrs Vibhuraj, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, Majitha, inaugurated the festival.

Scholars reflect on WTO impact
Amritsar, February 25
The UGC-sponsored ‘National Seminar on Economic Reforms under WTO Regime’, organised by the Department of Commerce and Business Management of Guru Nanak Dev University, concluded here today.

SAARC workshop ends
Amritsar, February 25
Eminent experts here to participate in sixth SAARC workshop on water-saving technologies unanimously recommended that the rain water harvesting and ground water recharge be effected by law by all states in areas suitable for the purpose.

Jaswant Rai lecture at GND varsity
Amritsar, February 25
Dr. P.N. Tandon, a decorated Neuroscientist and Director of National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon (Haryana) stressed the need to coordinate clinical research with Basic Sciences.

Panel defends teacher facing moral turpitude charges
Amritsar, February 25
The Democratic Teachers’ Front and panchayat of Jouns Mohar village of Ajnala today came to the rescue of the beleaguered teacher, Mr Manish Sood, a PT teacher of Government High School, Jouns Mohar.

Trains for railway exam candidates
Phillaur, February 25
The Railways will introduce 18 special trains on Feb 26 and 27 to facilitate the candidates appearing for the examination of the Railway Recruitment Board starting tomorrow.

• Workshop on network security
• Training programme for jobless youths