Sikh bodies not to allow naam charcha

Bathinda, January 20 Hardening stand against the Dera Sacha Sauda, various Sikh religious organisations today announced here that they would not allow followers of the dera to hold "naam charcha" (congregations) in Punjab. Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh of the Takht Damdama Sahib addressing representatives of various Sikh organisations at the Gurdwara Haji Ratan in Bathinda on Sunday. - Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

 

POLITICS

Sidhu for rail freight corridor up to Amritsar

Amritsar, January 20 Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu today led a protest march demanding that the rail freight corridor proposed to be built from Delhi to Ludhiana be extended to Amritsar. He threatened that the issue could snowball into a widespread agitation if the Centre ignored the interest of the border region. MP Navjot Sidhu leads a protest march in Amritsar on Sunday. - Photo by Vishal Kumar

NDA Leadership
Sorry, not me, says Badal
Mandi Ahmedgarh/ Samrala, January 20
Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, has said he would not lead the NDA front at the national level. After addressing a gathering at the annual sports fair at Gujjarwal village, near here, today, Badal denied reports about his name being considered for leading the NDA.

COMMUNITY

Turban Issue 
Talk to Sarkozy, Vedanti tells SGPC chief
Amritsar, January 20
Akal Takht has directed SGPC president Avtar Singh to take up the issue of ban on turbans in French schools with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, during his proposed visit to New Delhi on January 26.

First phase of Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant by 2011
Patiala, January 20
The first phase of the Rs 10,000-crore Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant will come up in 2011, while the Rs 6,500-crore Rajpura thermal power plant is likely to be completed by the middle of 2012.

Probe sought into spurious insecticides
Tarn Taran, January 20
The Kisan Sangarsh Committee (KSC) has sought a high-level probe into spurious insecticides sold by a Delhi-based company which caused great loss to wheat crop of nine villages in the area.

Theatre Fest gets underway

Amritsar, January 20 The Fifth National Theatre Festival began here with children of Natrang from Jammu depicting the agony of children forced to carry burdens of "dreams and desires" of parents, teachers and relatives. The festival is dedicated to noted theatre and TV personality Harbhajan Jabbal, who passed away recently.

The play, "Aap Hamare Hain Kaun," being staged at the Fifth National Theatre Festival in Amritsar on Sunday. - A Tribune photograph

Dist status for Pathankot demand gains ground
Pathankot, January 20
With Punjab BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari demanding a district status for Pathankot, a movement in this regard has gained momentum. The Pathankot Bar Association and the Pathankot Zila Banao Sangharsh Committee have formed units to raise their voice in this respect.

Mining contractor flouts norms with impunity Kiri Khurd (Gurdaspur), January 20 Enjoying political patronage, a well-connected mining contractor has allegedly been charging exorbitant royalty from vehicles carrying boulders, gravel and sand from the Ravi for the past over five years. An employee of the mining contractor for Siunty village collects royalty from a truck at a naka at Kiri village in Gurdaspur on Sunday. - A Tribune photograph

Punjab rules contradict RTI Act, claim activists
Chandigarh, January 20
The Right to Information Rules, 2007, notified by the Punjab government last year has a section of rights activists and legal experts up in arms on the contention that the rules contravene the very provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act which they are supposed to implement.

Look beyond dollars: Ruby Dhalla
Chandigarh, January 20
The relationship between Canadian NRIs and Punjab has to go beyond looking at just investment in dollars and should be expanded to sharing ideas, implementing best practices of governance and best options in the health sector, said Canadian MP of Indian origin Ruby Dhalla.

Information over 20-yr-old can't be withheld: Panel
Chandigarh, January 20
The Information Commission, Punjab, has ordered the Forest Department information which is more than 20 years old cannot be withheld by any office or authority on the pretext of provisions made under sub- section 3 of Section 8 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

COURTS

Mann writes to CJ on Jalandhar jail firing
Chandigarh January 20
In a letter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice, Mr Justice Vijender Jain, SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann has sought the registration of a case for attempt to murder against policemen involved in firing on prisoners in the Jalandhar jail.