Phagwara, September 2
The mayors of all municipal corporations in the state would be elected before September 15. This was stated by Punjab local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia while talking with newsmen here today. He said SAD-BJP alliance was performing well there were no conflicts between the partners.

Urging people to cooperate with the government by paying more taxes, Kalia said it was necessary for the overall development and ‘good governance’. He said the state government will soon introduce a unit-based taxation system on the Gujarat pattern. The step is being taken to spruce up the entire system, said the minister, adding that system would be introduced from April 
next year.

He said though state government was under debt of Rs 53,000 crore, it was committed to provide civic amenities, including drinking water, better sewerage, roads and street lights. He said in the first phase 40 towns would be covered.

The technical executives have been deputed to prepare a detailed project reports which would be ready in next six months, 
he added.

He disclosed that all sanitation committees would be abolished throughout the state and safai karamcharis would be recruited directly by MCs on contractual basis.

When asked about the appointments of chairpersons of Improvement Trusts in Punjab, Kalia said they would be made after electing the mayors. Replying to a question, the minister disclosed that all offices of local bodies departments, including MCs would be computerised to increase efficiency and transparency. Kalia said all municipal committees would be linked to the offices of deputy directors, director, principal secretary of the department. He instructed all officials of the department to be prompt while performing their duties.

He also revealed that the government was in the process of formulating new industrial policy, which would be finalised in consultations with the representatives of the industry. A series of meetings would be held at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar in this connection, said Kalia, adding that the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation(UNIDO) was also being consulted. The UN body has sanctioned 40,000 US dollars and appointed a national consultant for conducting a study and prepare draft of the new industrial policy.

He further said the state government was taking steps to expedite the implementation of mega projects. As many as 65 manufacturing projects and 41 mega industrial park projects sanctioned during the last five years have been reviewed by the government. Regarding special economic zone (SEZs) projects in the state, the minister said the government would soon enact the Punjab SEZ Act.

The centre has granted in principal-approval for seven SEZ projects in Punjab.

The state government was also in the process of finalising the Industrial Infrastructure Act. 

Hoshiarpur, September 2
With the arrest of four persons including two girls, the district police claims to have solved the double blind murder case involving an NRI of Bhogpur and his driver, which took place four days ago.

The police has also recovered a gold chain, gold Kara (bangle), gold ring, Rs 10,000 cash, 40 $ and a mobile phone from the possession of the arrested persons. The items and the cash were removed from the body of NRI Tajinder Singh. The driver was identified as Gurpal Singh.

The accused have been identified as Mandeep Kaur, daughter of Gurdev Singh of Sudana, Rajesh Kumar alias Rinku, son of Darshan Lal of Hariana village, Prince Bhalla and his daughter Hema Kumari of Ward 4, Bhogpur. SSP Anita Punj said an unidentified male body was found at the powerhouse gate number 3 of the Mukerian Hydel Channel on August 31. Another unidentified male body was also found yesterday under a culvert near village Puhari (Talwara), which was identified by deceased's brother Jagtar Singh as that of Gurpal Singh alias Pali son of Kashmiri Lal of Kharl Kalan. Later Jagtar also identified the body of Tajinder Singh, which was found at the power house gate number 3 of Mukerian Hydel Channel.

Jagtar Singh told the police that NRI Tajinder, who has been residing in USA from past many years, hired Gurpal as his driver. “On August 29 Gurpal left the house. He did not return that evening. Later, I came to know that Gurpal had gone with Tajinder in his Scoprio (PB-08AB-8686) for a spin. But, as both failed to return, Tajinder’s family informed the Bhogpur police station,”said Jagtar.

SSP said NRI Tajinder had come from America to immerse the ashes of his mother. During the investigation it was revealed that Mandeep, who was running a marriage bureau at Bhogpur, had telephonically invited Tajinder at her office on the evening of August 29 and asked him to take her for a long drive.

As Tajinder and Gurpal reached her office, Mandeep offered the duo soft drink laced with intoxicants due to which they fell unconscious. After that Mandeep took out Rs 10,000 cash, 40 $ and a mobile phone and other gold ornaments from the body of Tajinder. The accused then distributed stolen valuables amongst themselves.

Later, Prince Bhalla and Rajesh Kumar threw the unconscious Tajinder Singh in the Mukerian Hydel Channel while Gurpal’s was thrown under the culvert near village Puhari where he died due to suffocation. The Scorpio jeep is yet to be recovered,” said the SSP.

Nawanshahr, September 2
District SAD chief Mohinder Singh Hussainpuri has condemned the ‘ill-treatment meted out’ to the SAD workers and SGPC members by the administration during the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s function here on Saturday.

In a press note released here, Hussainpuri said a number of SAD leaders were denied entry into the function. “It’s a conspiracy to sabotage the image of the Badal government,” he added. A SAD leaders delegation would also meet CM on September 5 to apprise the latter of the ‘wrong attiude’ of civil and police officals towards SAD-BJP workers, Hussainpuri added.

SGPC member Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa said, “It seems some officials are still hand in glove with the Congressmen. These officials should now realise that the there is no more Congress government in the state. So, now they should shun their association with them.”

SAD leaders urged the CM and SAD (B) acting chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to immediately take action against the ‘culprits’ to restore prestige of SAD-BJP workers. Meanwhile, Babbar Karam Singh Memorial Trust, Kehar Singh Thandi, Taranjit Singh Thandi and Jaspal Jadli have expressed their solidarity with SAD, SGPC leaders and workers who were not allowed entry into CM’s function. — OC

Kapurthala, September 2
Continuing their agitation against the Punjab government for not fulfilling their demands, the members of Education Volunteer Teachers Union gheraoed Punjab education minister Bibi Upinderjeet Kaur’s residence here today. The union has already been staging dharna outside education minister’s house for last some days, and according to president of the union Ishwar Dass the protest would continue till September 5.

The union has also decided to observe Teachers Day, which falls on Wednesday, as black day in favour of their demand of regularisation of about 1,700 contractual teachers, said the president.

These teachers were appointed during previous Amarinder Singh-led Congress government about three years back.

Ishwar Dass said the union had taken this decision as Parkash Singh Badal-led Punjab government has failed to meet their demands despite making promise during the assembly elections. Now the Badal government has announced its decision to recruit 16,000 new teachers but they had forgotten their promise of regularising contractual teachers, he said.

Kapurthala, September 2
The police busted a gang of snatchers with the arrest of three members from Kanajli road near petrol pump here today. However two members of the gang managed to flee. SSP Rakesh Agarwal in a statement said a special team led by DSP Sukhdev Singh nabbed the gang members, identified as Amarjeet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Davinder Singh, all residents of Nawan Pind Bhadhe.

The gang which used to snatch chains, purses, mobiles and bags, was active in Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Phagwara for past some time.

During preliminary interrogation, the accused revealed that they had snatched as much as 33 gold chains, mobiles and purses from different parts of Kapurthala itself. As many as 12 mobiles, six gold chains, eight purses, Rs 10,000 cash, two motorcycles, one pistol, three live cartridges and two sharp edged weapons were recovered from their possession.

SSP Rakesh Agarwal said many startling revelations were expected during further investigation into the case.