Bhakra Mainline Distributary
Haryana’s no puts govt in bind
Patiala, August 16
After Punjab having opposed the construction of Hansi-Bhuttana distributary from the Bhakra canal by the Haryana government, now, it is the turn of the latter to hit back. The Punjab government needs to construct a distributary from the canal for the proposed Talwandi Sabo super power thermal plant.

60-ft breach in Ghaggar near Khanauri
Crops on 1,200 acres submerged
Sangrur, August 16
Following 60-foot breach in Ghaggar at Chandu village, 7 km from Khanauri today water entered standing crops on 1200 acres of three villages — Chandu, Andana and Therri. However, water has not entered in populated area of the three villages.

Badal Case
4 more witnesses turn hostile
Rupnagar, August 16
Four more prosecution witnesses turned hostile in the case against Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal for allegedly having assets disproportionate to known source of income. The witnesses deposed before the court of special judge GS Saran, saying that they have never given a statement to the Vigilance Bureau Punjab and, instead, were forced to put their signatures on blank papers and pre-drafted reports.

 

POLITICS

Hold your tongue, SAD, BJP tell their leaders
Chandigarh, August 16
After a series of acerbic statements against each other, the SAD and the BJP, in separate developments, today said their Punjab leaders had been asked to restrain themselves from speaking out of turn or on maters that could have an adverse impact on the ruling coalition.

CPI threatens stir against SSP 
Amritsar, August 16
The Communist Party of India (CPI) will launch an agitation against the district police chief for forcibly removing small vendors near Guru Nanak Dev University.

Mayor’s post: BJP gives advice to Akalis 
Amritsar, August 16
Akali leaders here should refrain from making statements against senior leaders of the BJP for the sake of cordial relations between the ruling alliance partners in the state.

COMMUNITY

Child Rape Cases
NHRC for speedy disposal
Hoshiarpur, August 16
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has instructed all state governments to speedily disposal of child rape cases.

COURTS

HC dismisses plea on Mukerian project
Chandigarh, August 16
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover, today paved the way for the continuation of the now-stalled Mukerian hydel project by dismissing the plea questioning the bidding process for the project.

Amarinder’s IT case
The High Court today adjourned the hearing on an income tax matter relating to Captain Amarinder Singh.

Markfed officials’ remand extended
Banur, August 16
The chief judicial magistrate, Patiala, today extended by two days the police remand of the three Markfed employees arrested by the Vigilance Bureau on charges of pilfering wheat meant for the atta-dal scheme from the agency’s godown here.

AGRICULTURE

No decision on free power 
Chandigarh, August 16
The issue of withdrawing the facility of free power to the farming sector was discussed informally at the meeting of the Punjab Cabinet today. However, no final decision was taken in this regard.

CRIME

One held for naam charcha
Bathinda, August 16
Even as one person was arrested for holding Naam Charcha in Goniana town of this district, intervention of police averted a clash between the followers of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda and members of various Sikh organisations in Geheri Bhagi village of this district late last night.

2 NRIs cheat singer
Phagwara, August 16
Popular Punjabi singer Amar Arshi and his singer wife Narinderjot have been allegedly cheated by two USA-based NRIs -- Lehmber Singh Pawla of the nearby Langddoia village if Nawanshahr and Harbhajan Singh of Chandigarh.

BSF jawan held with heroin
Amritsar, August 16
The BSF today arrested lance naik Sarvan Singh for possessing 95 gm of heroin near Kakkar village under Lopoke police station here.

3 booked for quarrel
Kharar, August 16
Didar Singh, a driver with Punjab Roadways and resident of Bhukhri village, got injured last night in a quarrel. In his complaint to the Kharar police, Didar Singh alleged that he was driving the bus on Chandigarh-Ludhiana route when he stopped at the Kharar bus stand at 9 pm for the passengers to get down.

EDUCATION

Rs 16 lakh for village school
Chandigarh, August 16
The Baba Attar Dass Educational Society formed by NRIs and residents of Nathewal of village, near Baghapurana( Moga), has collected Rs 16 lakh to give a new look to the village school, improve the quality of education and help the poor students there.

BUSINESS

Germany for better ties with India
Amritsar, August 16
Germany wants to nurture and intensify bilateral relations with India, said Norbert Lammert, president of German Bundestag, who was here to participate in Independence Day celebrations here yesterday. The delegation was interacting with Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, here.