COMMUNITY

PSEB staff strike peaceful
Patiala June 6
Strike of Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) employees passed off peacefully amidst claims and counter-claims by protesters and the board management . The Technical Services Union of the PSEB that spearheaded the today’s protest claimed the strike was total. The management claimed that it had no effect on operations.

BJP sidesteps demand for deputy CM’s post
Chandigarh, June 6
The BJP today decided to “sidestep” its demand for the Punjab deputy chief minister's post and concentrate on providing “good and efficient” governance to the people in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

Taxation body wants withdrawal of new IT form
Patiala, June 6
Members of the District Taxation Bar, at its general body meeting held here yesterday, have unanimously resolved to request the union finance minister to withdraw the application of the new series of Income Tax return forms.

PUDA draw for plots soon
Patiala, June 6
PUDA will soon organise a draw for the allotment of plots in the Patiala urban estate. In a press statement issued here today, the PUDA authorities stated that the scrutiny of applications for 85 plots advertised in February 2007 has been completed.

State plans to harness 1,000 MW from biomass
Chandigarh, June 6
The Punjab government has mooted a proposal for outsourcing biomass to the private power sector. There is a potential to generate 1,000 MW of power from biomass in a phased manner.

Court martial of 3 IAF men begins
Bathinda, June 6
Five officials of the IAF today started the court martial of its three personnel P.K. Vashistha, Saji Augustine and S.K. Pathak for their alleged involvement in the theft of 45 silver zinc aircraft batteries from the Bhisiana Air Force station, 25 km from here.

Police averts clash
Barnala, June 6
A clash between the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and members of the Sikh community was averted after the timely intervention of the police at Channalwal village, 11 km from here, today.

Martyr’s statue set on fire
Bathinda, June 6
The yet-to-be-unveiled statue of martyr Jarnail Singh, a Punjab police commando, who laid down his life while fighting militants in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in September 2002, was set on fire by unidentified anti-social elements in the Guru Nanak Pura locality of this town late last night.

Bluestar Anniversary A low-key affair Amritsar, June 6 The 23rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar today passed off peacefully even as some hardliners thwarted the attempts made by some youths to distribute leaflets having the message “Khalistan zindabad” at the Akal Takht secretariat here today. Jathedar, Akal Takht, Joginder Singh Vedanti addresses Sikh sangat in Amritsar on Wednesday.  A Tribune photograph

MC records on development works seized, probe on
Patiala, June 6
The vigilance section of the Department of Local Governments has initiated an inquiry into the alleged allotment of works by the Patiala Municipal Corporation in back date. A team of officials led by the senior vigilance official S.D. Garg today met corporation officials and seized the records in this connection.

SSF rally on June 22
Amritsar, June 6
The Sikh Students Federation (SSF) will hold a protest rally, “Delhi hilao”, in New Delhi on June 22 to create awareness among the Sikh masses, intellectuals and leaders of other political parties on the dera issue.

Plans on to revitalise Cooperative Dept
Jalandhar, June 6
In a bid to take out the state from the ongoing agriculture crisis and farming a viable profession, Punjab’s minister for cooperation Capt Kanwaljit Singh has envisaged an ambitious plan to infuse new life in his department by making a head start with Markfed.

Govt-sponsored schemes reviewed
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 6
To review the progress of various government-sponsored schemes for the agriculture, industrial and weaker sections of the society, a consultative committee meeting of various banks, organised by the State Bank of Patiala, was held here today.