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Transfer policy announced
Chandigarh, April 13
The SAD-BJP government has announced its transfer policy. Under the new policy, the government has issued guidelines for general postings and transfers of its employees for 2007-08. A government spokesman said the transfer orders would be issued from April 15 to May15. However, transfers in the education department would be done between June 1 and June 30.

Nine members for 1,900 complaints: Welcome to PSIC
Chandigarh, April 13 
The figures first. Ever since it began functioning in December 2005, the Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has received a total of 1,854 cases. Of these, 316 were appeal cases and 1,538 complaint cases. The total number of cases disposed of by the PSIC till April 11 was 834, leaving a total of 1,020 cases pending.

Airport project: Landowners keep their fingers crossed
Sahnewal, April 13
“We will see” is the response of people living in and around this city following the decision of the state government to upgrade the domestic airport here to international one.

Fire near Sukhbir’s press meet
Bathinda, April 13
Two cars parked near the venue where acting president of SAD Sukhbir Singh Badal addressed a press conference here this afternoon caught fire under mysterious circumstances, much to the panic of residents of the locality and embarrassment of policemen deployed at the venue.

Reprieve for Amarinder Singh
Ludhiana, April 13
Capt Amarinder Singh’s visit to London soon after the swearing in of the new members of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha was variously interpreted by the media. Initial reaction was that Amarinder Singh had “escaped” to London to prevent his immediate arrest by the Parkash Singh Badal government. Amarinder Singh’s own explanation was that his medical check-up was long overdue and he had to consult his physicians in London. The rumours of the search of Moti Bagh Palace and Amarinder’s protégé Bharat Inder Singh Chahal’s residence indicated that the government was too eager to catch its “culprits”.

SAD to probe defeat in Malwa region
Bathinda, April 13
Sukhbir Singh Badal, acting president of SAD, has said the party has launched an exercise to find out the reasons which had led to the poor performance of its candidates in Malwa region in the recently held Assembly elections.

COMMUNITY

‘Shingara Singh is not massacre eyewitness’

Amritsar, April 13 The fact finding report of Guru Nanak Dev University that has been sent to Rashtarpati Bhavan has concluded that Shingara Singh is not an eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of April 13, 1919. Shingara Singh, who claims to be sole survivor of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

PATRIOTIC FERVOUR
Tributes paid to Jallianwala victims
Amritsar, April 13
Rich tributes were paid to martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre on the 88th anniversary of the incident with a large number of politicians and representatives of social and religious organisations thronging the memorial today.

Children take a dip in the sarovar at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, on the occasion of Baisakhi on Friday. — PTI

Countering deras
SGPC office at Takht Damdama Sahib
Talwandi Sabo, April 13
In a significant move, which could give a new twist to the religious political scene of Malwa region, the SGPC today opened its sub-office of its Dharam Parchar wing on the premises of Takht Damdama Sahib.

Wetland authority proposed for Punjab
Chandigarh, April 13
The regional convention on wetland conservation concluded today with experts proposing to set up a wetland authority for Punjab. The proposal comes in the wake of increasing desecration of wetlands in Punjab, which has three internationally-protected Ramsar sites, Kanjli, Ropar and Harike. Besides, it has four valuable wetlands.

SSP asked to file report in harassment case
Amritsar, April 13
Taking note of a complaint regarding harassment by workers of a political party the Punjab Human Rights Commission has asked for a report from SSP, Majithia, in the case.

Mandira Bedi must apologise, says SGPC
Amritsar, April 13
Spelling more trouble for actor-turned-cricket-show anchor Mandira Bedi, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has taken a serious view of her ramp show with a tattoo depicting “mool mantra,” a religious symbol of the Sikhs, and has demanded a public apology.

Children wait for their turn at a Baisakhi function at Teja Singh Kandhari Public School in Patiala on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

SGPC team may drop visit to UK
Amritsar, April 13
The four-member SGPC team is unlikely to go to UK to participate in the auction of the 150-year-old bust of Maharaja Duleep Singh. The auction is proposed to be held on April 19. Wide-spread criticism of the decision to send the team has reportedly lead to this decision.

Restore NPA, demand docs
Chandigarh, April 13
The senior Punjab Civil Medical Services Doctors Association yesterday presented a memorandum of demands to state health minister Luxmi Kanta Chawla.

Plan to restore forests
Patiala, April 13
For the first time the department of wildlife has prepared management plans for reserve forests in Patiala division. The plans have been sent to the Chief Wildlife Warden for approval. Patiala forest division has seven reserve forest areas extending from 200 to 1,000 hectare. These, include Moti Bagh, Bonoredi, Bhadson, Gurdialpura, Mehas, Dosanj and Ash Ban (located in Sangrur). Most of these reserve forests are former hunting grounds of the erstwhile rulers of Patiala state.

Family donates woman’s body
Barnala, April 13
Keeping aside the traditional attitude, rural folk have started opting to the new waves of science age. Family members of a deceased woman, Pushpa Devi, have donated her body to Government Medical College, Faridkot.

CRIME

Cable thieves strive on police ‘laxity’
Sangrur, April 13
The frequent incidence of theft of BSNL’s underground telephone cables in Sangrur is a matter of great concern for the telecom authorities here as during the past six months the thieves had reportedly stolen cables for more than 20 times from different places in the town.

Newborn abandoned
Patiala, April 13
A two-day-old girl child was abandoned by her parents near   Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib here today. She was found abandoned by devotees who informed the police.

EDUCATION

UK MP for developing educational ties

Chandigarh, April 13 The splendour and serenity of the Golden Temple had MP and minister for e-governance in the UK, Pat McFadden, astounded. There was no way he was going to miss coming to this region despite being on his maiden visit to India. “In my constituency in Wolverhampton (near Birmingham) more than 20 per cent of the population have their roots in Punjab.

Pat McFadden

Interview was sabotaged: lecturer
Patiala, April 13
The controversy over leak of names of experts selected for holding the interview for the post of reader in the department of public administration, Punjabi University, has taken a new turn.

BUSINESS

Private traders missing from mandis
Patiala, April 13
Private traders are not procuring foodgrain from mandis in Punjab. The FCI and state agencies have procured 98 per cent of the foodgrain that have arrived in mandis of Punjab till date.