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TOP STORIES

Power hike in urban areas
BJP threat on Cabinet meeting
Amritsar, October 7
Serious differences have cropped up between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the increase in power tariff in the urban areas of the state as Balbir Punj, national general secretary and in charge Punjab affairs, announced that BJP ministers would boycott the forthcoming Cabinet meeting if the matter was brought for approval.

There is only ‘taal’ and no ‘mel’ — Balbir Punj Balbir Punj, national general secretary and in charge Punjab BJP, addresses a press conference in Amritsar on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Badal backs N-deal
Patran (Patiala), October 7
The Congress that has been beleaguered by the Left on the Indo-US nuclear deal has got the support of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the issue. Badal, who was on a private visit to Lale village, 4 km from Patiala, said today that the deal was in the interests of the country, as it would help in its development.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, acting president, SAD, Sukhbir Badal and KIrpal Singh Badungar at a function near Patran on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Vigilance giving out false facts to sway Virk’s bail plea: Son
Chandigarh, October 7
The family of arrested former Punjab DGP S.S. Virk today alleged the Punjab Vigilance Bureau was giving false information to the media to influence the pending bail application of the DGP. “ It is direct interference in the administration of justice and amounts to contempt of court”, alleged Pardeep Virk, a son of the DGP countering the claims of the VB made yesterday on bank accounts and property of the DGP.

COMMUNITY

Fighting to save their heritage or earning their livelihood, vagabonds keep their legacies alive. One such family earns its livelihood making/repairing iron tools in Bathinda on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

Chemists urged to refrain from illegal activities
Nabha, October 7
Punjab Chemist Association president Surjit Mehta has called upon chemists to refrain from nefarious activities. He was addressing a state-level function of the association organised by the Nabha Chemist and Druggist Association here last night.

Doctors flay political meddling in their work
Amritsar, October 7
The Senate meeting of the PCMS Specialist Doctors Association today came in support of Dr Satya Kiran Kapoor, senior medical officer (SMO), Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital, and condemned the political interference in the functioning of health services, especially related to medico-legal work and referral services.

Pathankot awaits regular SDM
Pathankot, October 7
The office of the SDM has become a defunct body in the absence of a regular SDM. The most important subdivision of Gurdaspur district, Pathankot, has been running its administration without any administrative head since the last incumbent, Surinder Mohan Sharma, was transferred to pave way for Puneet Goyal.

27th Mohammad Rafi Awards
Kavita enthrals audience
Amritsar, October 7
Well-known Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy enthralled the audience at the 27th Rafi Awards organised here today by the Mohammad Rafi Memorial Society to commemorate the death anniversary of the legendary singer. The society organises a function on this day every year to give away awards to promising Hindi and Punjabi singers.

‘Punjab Jagao March’ on Oct 31
Hoshiarpur, October 7
To mark the 41st anniversary of Punjab Day, the Dal Khalsa has decided to organise a two-day “Punjab jagao march on October 31 from Amritsar, which will culminate at Hoshiarpur on Punjab Day i.e. November 1.

Wean youths off drugs, Rotarians told
Abohar, October 7
SDM N.S. Brar has regretted that Abohar is emerging as the hub of smack and poppy husk smuggling, besides gambling. Addressing an inter-city meet of Rotary International District-3090 here this afternoon as chief guest, Brar regretted that youths were losing direction in life.

Bandh threatened over move to shift bus stand
Bathinda, October 7
The proposed shifting of the city bus stand continues to create a controversy here. Shopkeepers and residents living in the vicinity do not want it to be shifted. Members of the Bus Stand Save Action Committee at a meeting held today planned to call a Bathinda bandh on October 12 from 9 am till noon.

Gymkhana club set for a makeover
Patiala, October 7
The Gymkhana and Mahendra Club of Patiala is all set for a makeover with a series of projects planned to sustain its lost glory. Vinod Dhundia, honorary secretary of the club, said a number of projects are in the pipeline to give the club a major facelift.

Visa issue Bias by dept alleged
Amritsar, October 7
In a letter to the chairman of the Minorities Commission Balwinder Singh Chhabal, the general secretary of the Khalra Mission Committee has alleged that the Foreign Affairs Department, dealing with Pakistan, was following discriminatory policies while allotting visas.

28 cylinders seized
Kharar, October 7
The district food supplies controller recovered 28 cylinders after conducting a raid in Balongi area today. One person was arrested. DFSC Rupinderpal Kaur, along with a team, followed a tempo carrying the cylinders and traced them to a residential area being used as a godown to store LPG cylinders.

COURTS

Suit filed to seek service road
Amritsar, October 7
Eminent citizens of the holy city have filed a suit in a local court of the Civil Judge (Senior Division) against the Union government, Gammon India Ltd, Amritsar Municipal Corporation and others for seeking mandatory injunction for providing service road along the prestigious elevated road project.

Justice Aggarwal is chairman of Punjab consumer panel Chandigarh, October 7 Justice S.N. Aggarwal, who recently retired from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, will be the new chairman of the Punjab State Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission. His appointment has been made by the Punjab government in consultation with the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice Vijendra Jain, for a term of five years.

Justice S.N. Aggarwal

AGRICULTURE

CPI demands agricultural loans at 4 per cent
Sangrur, October 7
The Communist Party of India (CPI) yesterday asked the Union government to advance agriculture loans to farmers at 4 per cent rate of interest per annum and to agriculture workers without any interest.

CRIME

Ex-Army man shoots himself, family dead Rajpura, October 7 Struck by depression, a 42-year-old ex-serviceman shot four members of his family dead while one managed to survive with serious injuries at Dubali Khurd village, near here, late last night. A file photo of the family of ex-serviceman Kirpal Singh, his wife Paramjit Kaur, daughter Harpreet and sons Omkar and Gurpreet.

One arrested for woman’s murder
Bathinda, October 7
Jagsir Singh, one of the accused in connection with the murder of a woman of Raaiya village under Phul police station, was arrested today. The victim, Baljit Kaur, wife of Darshan Singh, was allegedly killed by two brothers, namely Gurjant Singh and Jagsir Singh, on Friday night.

Three of family booked for dowry harassment
Moga, October 7
A case of dowry harassment against three members of a family has been registered. Neelam Rani, a local resident, alleged in her complaint that she was harassed by her in-laws and husband.

In-laws booked in suicide case
Amritsar, October 7
Darbari Lal, former Deputy Speaker, along with Congress workers and members of the family of Parveen Kapoor, who committed suicide a couple of days back, were today booked by the Kotwali police for allegedly obstructing traffic, raising slogans against the police and government and violating Section 144.

Suicide case
Cop’s daughter dies
Bathinda, October 7
Beant Kaur, 26-year-old daughter of Gurjant Singh, a dismissed cop of Behman Jassa Singh village in Bathinda district, who died on Friday night after setting himself and four of his family members on fire last week, succumbed to her burn injuries at the PGI, Chandigarh, last night.

10 kg heroin seized by BSF
Ferozepore, October 7
The BSF today foiled an attempt by Pakistani agencies to smuggle narcotics inside the Indian border and seized 10 kg of heroin worth over Rs 10 crore in the international market.

Pirated CDs: Two booked
Bathinda, October 7
The cantonment police booked two brothers for making pirated compact discs (CDs), from MES Colony, here today. According to sources, an executive of a cassette company had complained to the police piracy business was being run from a quarter in the colony. 

EDUCATION

Patiala to have civil aviation university
Patiala, October 7
The acting president of the SAD (Badal) and Member Parliament, Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced the setting up of a civil aviation university in the city. Sukhbir made this announcement at a rally organised by the Kamboj Organisation of India held at Udham Singh Nagar, near Urban Estate, today and claimed that the proposed university will be the first of its kind in the country.

Anmol Hospital chairman honoured
Patiala, October 7
Dr N.R Purohit, chairman of Anmol Hospital has been honoured with the “Chikitsa Shiromani Award-2007” and national award by National Council of Accupressure Yoga, Gopalganj, in a national workshop of acupressure, held at Hamdard University, New Delhi.