PSEB plan on supply to PUDA colonies
Patiala, October 8
To redress grievances regarding electricity to promoters and developers of Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) and district town planner-approved private colonies, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has decided some steps.

 

POLITICS

Cases Against Cong Workers
Khaira’s plea to go to CJ
Chandigarh, October 8
A division Bench of Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice Rajive Bhalla today directed a petition filed by Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira seeking directions for a proper inquiry by an independent agency into the cases registered against Congress workers by the present SAD-BJP government to be placed before the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At the very onset, the Bench observed that the petition appeared to be a public interest litigation. As such, it should be placed before the Chief Justice for listing before the appropriate Bench.

Political vendetta, says Darbari Lal 
Amritsar, October 8
Former deputy speaker Darbari Lal here today alleged that he had been booked in a case as part of the policy of political vendetta being pursued by the SAD-BJP government.

CPI not in favour of mid-term poll
Amritsar, October 8
The performance of the Punjab government, headed by the SAD-BJP combine, during the past six months has proved worst ever as it has failed to come up to the expectations of people of the state.

To lay siege to police station
Bathinda, October 8
Regional leader of the CPI Hardev Arshi today alleged that the ruling party had been implicating innocent persons of Joga village in false cases. Addressing a press conference in Mansa, he announced that party activists would lay siege to the village police station on October 17 to demand a probe into the matter.

COMMUNITY

Jalandhar zone dists to have community policing:IG
Jalandhar, October 8
Inspector-general (IG) of Jalandhar Zone Sanjiv Kalra announced to launch community policing system in the remaining five police districts of the zone.

Harassment of Doctors
Association threatens to suspend medical services
Mohali, October 8
Members of the Punjab Civil Medical Service Specialist Cadre Association today threatened to suspend all medical services in the state if the vigilance bureau harassed any doctor in the state on frivolous pretexts.

Upset with Food Supplies Dept
Chandigarh, October 8
There is a strong resentment among rice-millers and others concerned at certain places against the Punjab Food Supplies Department for changing the allocation of certain grain markets to government procurement agencies when the procurement of paddy is in full swing.

Workshop on classical music begins
Patiala, October 8
The department of music of Punjabi University, Patiala, organised a five-day workshop on classical music at Kala Bhavan here today. The workshop was inaugurated by eminent historian B.N. Goswamy.

Chief engineer’s office gheraoed
Pathankot, October 8
Up in arms against the Punjab government’s move to recover excess money paid to retirees of Ranjit Sagar Dam, scores of members under the banner of the Joint Action Committee of Ranjit Sagar Dam, staged a five- hour- long dharna and gheroaed the office of the chief engineer, Ranjit Sagar Dam, at Shahpur Kandi here today.

Today’s holiday in Amritsar dist
Amritsar, October 8
The state government has declared October 9 as holiday in Amritsar district to mark birth anniversary of Guru Ram Das.

IESL hails move to include members in dist planning boards
Chandigarh, October 8
The Punjab and Chandigarh chapter of the Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) has hailed the proposal to include its members in district planning boards and district grievances committees at the district level.

COURTS

ASI acquitted in Khalra murder case
Chandigarh, October 8
Appeals and revision petitions filed in the Khalra murder case today culminated with a division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitting ASI Amarjit Singh, while maintaining that the conviction of DSP Jaspal Singh along with four other policemen Satnam Singh, Surinder Pal Singh, Jasbir Singh and Prithipal Singh.

Amarinder’s plea to go abroad allowed
Chandigarh, October 8
Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s plea seeking permission to go abroad from October 11 to November 30 was today allowed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

AGRICULTURE

Higher taxes worry cotton growers 
Bathinda, October 8
Cotton growers in the Malwa cotton belt continue to suffer, thanks to higher market fees and RDF in Punjab. Voicing concern over higher fees, the Punjab Cotton Factories and Ginner’s Association has said farmers cultivating “white gold” in the region are suffering losses due to the higher rate of taxes in Punjab compared to states like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

BKU favours organic wheat
‘It fetches high price in national and international markets’
Chandigarh, October 8
The Bharti Kisan Union today gave a call to Punjab farmers to reduce area under ordinary wheat and to switch over to organic wheat that fetches high price in the national and international markets.

BKU protests against slow procurement
Moga, October 8
Even as activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) held a protest against the tardy pace of paddy procurement by the FCI, special observer of the Punjab government to monitor the procurement process R.C. Nayyar, financial commissioner, forest and wildlife, left the town without meeting them here today. Nayyar visited various grain markets of the district.

Farmers’ applications invited for allotment
Chandigarh, October 8
The Punjab Government has invited applications from farmers, who are tillers of land, to get permanent allotments done. The department of revenue has asked all “kaashtkaars” to apply for the same and get the allotment of land.

CRIME

SAD leader Tiger booked for murder
Bathinda, October 8
Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leader Jagbir Singh Tiger has been booked by the Dyalpura Bhaika police station in the district for firing a shot from his licensed .315 bore rifle and killing Sukhdeep Singh(26) at Kothe Guru, village 25 km from here last night. Tiger(45), is circle president (Nathana) of the SAD.

Sarpanch, mother killed
Faridkot, October 8
An old woman and her sarpanch son were murdered while her another son was shot and injured at Gujjar village near here last night.

Suicide case Widow, paramour held
Pathankot, October 8
The Dinanagar police has arrested Poonam, mother of three children, and her paramour Raj Singh in connection with the alleged suicide committed by her husband, ex-serviceman Bharat Bhushan.

Woman commits suicide
Banur, October 8
A 38-year-old married woman Sukhvinder Kaur allegedly committed suicide at her residence in Thuha village here today. The incident took place at 12.30 pm.

EDUCATION

Bus pass blues for PTU students
Bathinda, October 8
A meeting of students from the local distance-learning centre of Punjab Technical University was held here today. They alleged that distance learning centres of the university were not helping them in getting bus passes made despite being given an assurance regarding this at the time of admission.

BUSINESS

Rice millers face uncertainty
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 8
Having spent lakhs of rupees on upgrading their machinery in the hope of getting their milling capacities enhanced, a large number of rice mill owners in the state are in a fix as the state government is still indecisive over the issue.