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Atta-dal scheme after groundwork is over: Badal
Action against Capt if charges are established
Patiala, May 3
The SAD/BJP government was in no mood to arrest Congressmen, including former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. The Vigilance Bureau has been directed first to probe and establish charges if any against the former CM. Only if something substantial comes up only then further proceedings in the case would be carried out. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal stated this at a press conference her today. 

Yoga guru Swami Ramdev makes a point to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Patiala on Thursday.  A Tribune photograph

Badal denies vendetta
Chandigarh, May 3
“I am ready to act as a human rights activist for looking into any complaint of political victimization of any Congress worker,” declared Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while denying that any policy of political vendetta was being pursued by his government.

Political Vendetta
Cong to collect data on cases
Chandigarh, May 3
The Punjab Congress has decided to collect data on police cases which it perceives have been filed against its party workers on the basis of “political vendetta.” All block presidents of the party have been asked to come to the party’s state headquarters here on May 7 with all details of such cases, the party chief Shamsher Singh Dullo announced today.

SAD-BJP to challenge Cong on vendetta issue
Chandigarh, May 3
The ruling SAD-BJP combine plans to counter the Congress on the “politcal vendetta” issue by challenging the Congress men to show any case where a leader or worker of the party had been called to a police station for questioning. Also to bring a single case if womenfolk were being called to police stations or were booked.

Stop canal construction: SAD
Chandigarh, May 3
General secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal Prem Singh Chandumajra today said the party had demanded intervention of the central government in stopping the under-construction Hansi Buttana link canal in Haryana. 

COMMUNITY

‘Rebel’ SGPC secy to be dismissed 
Amritsar, May 3
The sub committee of SGPC today recommended immediate dismissal of Raghbir Singh as secretary, Shiromani Committee, on charges of "indiscipline". His dismissal from the post of SGPC secretary would be formally accepted by the SGPC Executive, scheduled to be held at Ludhiana tomorrow.

Golden Temple 
SGPC open to debate on airconditioning
Ludhiana, May 3
The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has not yet closed the chapter of airconditioning of the Darbar Sahib at the Golden Temple.

PIL challenges ostracisation of newly weds
Chandigarh, May 3
A public interest litigation was filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court today seeking to impose exemplary fine on the sarpanch and panches of Mansurpur Wadala gram panchayat (near Jalandhar) for ordering the social boycott of a newly wedded couple.

Love lost: Same-sex marriage ends after 3 yrs

Amritsar, April 3 The love affair between a lesbian couple that had appalled their families and the society three years ago ended on a sour note today.One of the partners, Raju (28), was admitted to a local government hospital after consuming poison while the other partner, Mala, has reportedly decided to marry her "boyfriend". Raju under treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on Thursday. Photo by Vijay Sharma

‘Promote Punjabi language’ 
Sangrur, May 3
Urging the government to set up a Punjabi Language University in the state, various organisations of Punjabi writers have sought that due status be accorded to the language. They stated that this would promote Punjabi language, literature and culture, and would lead to proper research and evaluation.

Rs 58 lakh given to 53 sarpanches
Abohar, May 3
Balluana MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana distributed cheques worth Rs 58.22 lakh among sarpanches of 53 villages of his assembly segment for sanitation and water supply schemes at a function in the panchayat samiti complex here yesterday. Most of the recipients were Congress activists. Ghuriana also presented cheques of Rs 2.86 lakh to sarpanches and Rs 1.43 lakh to the sanitation workers against fixed allowance.

Goatherd’s daughter dies of smallpox, 7 others suffering
Abohar, May 3
The family of Mangi Ram, which had to shift from the drought-hit Guda village in Kalayat sub- division of Bikaner in Rajasthan, to save goats and sheep might not forget the May Day as it lost daughter Kola due to small pox at Arniwala village near here on Tuesday. Seven other members of the family are also  suffering from the same disease, Mangi Ram said.

State Round-up
57 posts in medical colleges to be filled
Chandigarh, May 3
The Punjab government today decided to fill 57 vacant posts in the teaching faculty in medical colleges of the state. These will be on ad hoc basis and through departmental selection committees.

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AGRICULTURE

PAU board members for Dhillon as Pro-VC
Chandigarh, May 3
The Punjab government has been urged by certain members of the board of management of PAU, Ludhiana, to appoint Dr B.S.Dhillon, a highly talented academician and scientist, as Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university.Dr Dhillon, director research at PAU,was a candidate for vice-chancellorship of the university.

COURTS

Non-cooperation with court
HC directs action against ‘lax’ forest officer
Chandigarh, May 3
This one will come as a deterrent to forest officers who charge people with wildlife offences but never pursue those cases in courts.

ADMINISTRATION

Jaspal principal secy (transport)
Chandigarh, May 3
D.S. Jaspal will be new principal secretary, transport, an official announcement said today.

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CRIME

Minor Dalit girl abducted, murdered
Budhlada (Mansa), May 3
A minor girl(7) from Scheduled Caste community, who had been abducted while she was asleep with family members in her house in this town on April 28 night, was found dead last night in fields skirting the town .

Gang of cheats busted, 3 held
Nabha, May 3
The police claimed to have busted a gang of cheats with the arrest of three people yesterday. The accused were deceiving innocent people by selling them fake gold coins and biscuits by offering them at discounted prices.

3 held for possessing narcotics
Abohar, May 3
The CIA staff today arrested three persons for possessing 3.5 kg opium smuggled from Rajasthan through different routes.

Fake currency seized, 2 held
Amritsar, May 3
In one of the biggest ever recovery of fake currency, the Amritsar (Rural) police today seized fake currency amounting Rs 10 lakh.The notes had allegedly been printed in Pakistan .

 

EDUCATION

Master Mohan Lal courts controversy again
Pathankot, May 3
After the cancellation of his Ph.D registration in 2001 by Punjabi University, Patiala, while he was holding the portfolio of higher education minister, Master Mohan Lal Sharma, transport minister, Punjab, has got involved in another controversy now.

KV-3 celebrates Annual Day
Patiala, May 3
Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, DMW, organised its annual prize distribution function with great zeal and enthusiasm on the school premises today. The function was inaugurated with lighting of a lamp by the chief guest Jayanta Ghosh, CAO of DMW. Students of the school presented a colourful cultural programme on the unity in diversity of India through vibrant dances, songs and skits.

 

BUSINESS

Liquor vends
New licensees left in lurch
Amritsar, May 3
The state government has been suffering huge losses to its exchequer as the liquor shops continue to do brisk business in the holy city even after three days of expiry of licences of old licensees.

Industrialist gets life-time achievement award
Patiala, May 3
The National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) today honoured Dr Satya Paul, an eminent industrialist and president of Apeejay Education Society, Delhi, during a function organised at Apeejay Satya House, Delhi.