More than 100 take ill after partaking langar at college
Kharar, October 31
More than 100 students, teachers and other workers of Guru Gobind Singh Modern Technology and Polytechnic College were down with gastroenteritis after partaking langar on the college premises yesterday. Health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla visited the hospital and interacted with students.


Students suffering from gastro in the Civil Hospital, Kharar. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Money meant for village works going down the drain
Chandigarh, October 31
A substantial sum from about Rs 900 crore distributed among various villages under the Punjab Nirman Scheme by the previous Congress government in the state has gone down the drain. This has been revealed following a special inspection made by flying squads of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department to check works executed with the money distributed for the purpose. The money was distributed last year.

 

POLITICS

Power Tariff Row
BJP ministers seek early solution
Chandigarh, October 31
Punjab BJP ministers have urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to direct Punjab State Electricity Board( PSEB) authorities to stop issuance of bills on the basis of revised power tariff to domestic and other consumers immediately. The PSEB has already enforced revised power tariff rates with effect from September 1 and bills to power consumers are being issued accordingly.

Badals seek court’s permission to visit abroad
Rupnagar, October 31
Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and his wife Surinder Kaur Badal have moved an application in the court of special judge GS Saran seeking permission to visit abroad.

COMMUNITY

Release of Development Grants
Treasury fails to clear bills
Sangrur, October 31
While Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been claiming that there is no financial crisis in Punjab but due to verbal orders by the state finance department the state treasuries are not passing bills of large payments, including the development grants.

COURTS

Virk’s bail petition reveals loopholes in judiciary 
Chandigarh, October 31
Punjab's former DGP S.S Virk's bail petition has brought to the fore the regular manner in which the state government functions.

Bibi seeks interim bail
Chandigarh, October 31
Nearly four years after she was booked for allegedly flouting orders issued by Anandpur Sahib’s District Magistrate banning the gathering of five or more persons, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s former chief Bibi Jagir Kaur has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter.

Chahal case hearing adjourned
Chandigarh, October 31
The high court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on a contempt case involving B.I.S. Chahal, the former media adviser to Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The matter would now be taken up on November 21.

AGRICULTURE

Sikh farmers struggling, claims Pak radio
Majitha, October 31
Ignoring the fact that Punjab is known as the granary of India, Radio Pakistan’s “Punjabi Durbar” programme continues to broadcast the view that Sikh farmers are struggling to obtain proper water and electricity supply. The broadcast that is aired from Lahore easily penetrates into areas of East Punjab, and is primarily aimed at misleading people. A Gurbani Kirtan is aired before the programme.

CRIME

Sexual harassment charge against DSP
Jalandhar, October 31
A resident of Abadpura locality falling under police division No. 6 has levelled serious allegations of sexual harassment against Moga DSP (detective) Darshan Singh.

EDUCATION

Adarsh School becomes reality as CM lays stone
Gurdaspur, October 31
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of the first Adarsh School at Bhikhariwal village, about 15 km from here, this afternoon. The stone of the second school would be laid at Khatkal Kalan in Nawanshahr district on November 2.