Punjab Police transfers
Chandigarh, January 7
As the full-bench of the Election Commission of India is to start its two-day visit to Punjab tomorrow, the Punjab Government in a late night move, transferred 10 IPS officers, including one IG of Zone and SSPs of three districts tonight. Another 25 Punjab Police Services (PPS) officers in the rank of SP and more than 70 DSP-level officials have also been shifted.
Congress list by Jan 14: CM
Patiala, January 7
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has said that names of candidates of the Congress party, to be fielded for the coming Assembly elections, would be announced by January 14.
BJP scrutinises names of 300 for ticket
Hoshiarpur, January 7
The Election-cum-core committee of Punjab BJP has considered the names of as many as 300 party leaders for finalising the list of party candidates to contest from 23 segments of Punjab Vidhan Sabha for state Assembly election.
Wetlands vanish in Punjab: Study
Chandigarh, January 7
Don’t blame rice cropping for depletion of ground water in Punjab. A Panjab University study has concluded that the state has lost most of its wetlands-- nature’s sponge that stores rainwater, releases it slowly to feed ground water.
Fair sex getting drawn to drug trade in border belt
Ferozepore, January 7
If the number of cases registered against women under the NDPS act are any indication then it seems that women are now actively involved in drug peddling and smuggling of narcotics and psychotropic substances in this border area.
Chinks surface at Congress meeting
Bathinda, January 7
Unruly scenes were witnessed and factionalism came to the fore at the very first party meeting held after the imposition of the code of conduct which was attended by the Punjab Finance Minister, Mr Surinder Singla, here today.
Dissidence in Congress, too
Ghanaur (Patiala), January 7
Mr Madan Lal Jalalpur, vice-chairman, Zila Parishad and senior Congress leader organised a rally in the grain market here to pressure party’s high command to seek ticket from local Assembly in place of sitting MLA, Jasjit Singh Randhawa, failing he threatened to contest Assembly elections as an independent.
SAD sends Chautala to pacify ex-minister
Bathinda, January 7
After denying the party ticket to ex-minister Chiranji Lal Garg, the SAD today sent INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala to pacify him and persuade him to support the party candidate for the Bathinda Assembly seat.
Dhillon, Goyal aspirants from Congress
Barnala, January 7
Race for Congress ticket from Barnala Assembly constituency between Mr Kewal Singh
Dhillon, Vice-President Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and Mr Hardeep Kumar Goyal, chairman Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Training Department has hotted up.
IMA to support party taking up health agenda
Faridkot, January 7
With elections scenes — hotting up in the state, various associations are busy in preparing charters of demands and urging the political parties to include these in their manifestos. These demands come with a promise that all members of the association will vote for the party which would ensure fulfillment of the demands after coming to power.
6 in race for Cong ticket in Sangrur
Sangrur, January 7
According to sources six Congressmen, including local Congress MLA Arvind Khanna, have applied to the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) for party ticket for Sangrur Assembly constituency but due to Mr Khanna’s absence from the Sangrur Assembly constituency for several intervals, including one long interval, in the past more than one year, people of the area are of the view that Mr Khanna perhaps is not interested in contesting the election from Sangrur this time, and has applied for ticket just to complete a formality, being a sitting Congress MLA from this constituency.
Rinku is PPCC (Rural) secy
Amritsar, January 7
Mr Karamjit Singh Rinku, district president of the Congress (Rural), has been elevated to the post of secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. This was informed in a press release here yesterday.
Transfer order in back date to skirt poll code ?
Chandigarh, January 7
Since the Election Commission imposed the Model Code of Conduct in view of the Assembly elections in Punjab, there are allegations that orders have been issued in back date to transfer officials.
Scholar summoned at Akal Takht
Amritsar, January 7
The Sikh clergy has summoned Dr Sukhpreet Singh Udoke, a Sikh scholar and former member of the five-member committee constituted by Akal Takht on the
RSS, at Akal Takht secretariat here tomorrow on the basis of a number of complaints.
Police website not updated
Barnala, January 7
The Barnala police has not updated its website since December 2006. The website is still showing Mr S.K.Asthana as SSP though three consecutive SSPs have been shifted from the police district after the transfer of Mr Asthana in December 2006.
Nirmal Singh memorial mela concludes
Nabha, January 7
Despite cloudy mornings, the audience which kept on swelling was spell bound by performances of celebrities of Punjab at the two-day-long cultural extravaganza — 15th Nirmal Singh Nehla Memorial Mela Nabhe Da that concluded here at the Ripudaman College ground. It was organised by the Nabha Social Welfare and Cultural Club Nabha.
Dharna by FCI staff
Patiala, January 7
Ten activists of the FCI Executive Staff Union sat on a day-long fast in front of the district office here today. They are protesting against the atrocities committed by the FCI management on its employees.
Lohri for girls
Patiala, January 7
The Dedicated Brothers Group, Punjab, a social organisation at its special meeting here decided to celebrate the festival of lohri this year specifically for girls to bring about awareness against female foeticide.
Free medical camp
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 7
The Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College and Hospital organized a two day free medical check-up camp in collaboration with Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhavan,
Jhansi. Dr Zora Singh, the chairman of the Desh Bhagat Group of institutes inaugurated the camp.
Bathinda, January 7
