P U N J A B

Top stories | Politics | Community | Courts

TOP STORIES

Stop free power: Panel 
Ropar, February 18
The free-of-cost power to agriculture sector and Scheduled Castes (SCs) or below poverty line (BPL) consumers in the state will go from March 1. The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has directed the Punjab State Electricity Board ( PSEB) to charge full tariff from the said subsidised categories from March 1 following the failure of the government of Punjab to reimburse subsidy to the PSEB.

Media has a vital role in safeguarding democratic institutions: Dua
Ludhiana, February 18
Mr H.K.Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune group of publications, today said that the media had an important role to play in safeguarding the democratic institutions in the country in view of many ills afflicting the political system.

Mr H.K. Dua (left), Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune group of publications, and Dr M.S. Kang, VC, PAU, share views at a seminar on “Media and Rural Development” organised in Ludhiana on Monday. Tribune photo: Sayeed Ahmed

Budget session likely to be stormy
Chandigarh, February 18
The Insaf rally by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party (SAD-BJP) alliance in New Delhi on February 26 and rallies by the main Opposition party, Congress, at all district headquarters on February 25, may only be a trailer of fierce debates and stormy sittings which the state Legislature may witness during its Budget session starting on February 29.

Bank says no to misprinted note 
Jalandhar, February 18
In violation of the directions of RBI, an SBI branch has allegedly refused to accept a misprinted currency note of 500 denomination. Sunit Kalra of the Charanjit Pura locality said he had gone to the Imam Nasir branch of the SBI with the misprinted note (bearing number 9 DL 444075), but the employee at the counter refused to accept the note.


A misprinted currency note (above) and an old currency note (below) refused by employees of two different banks in Jalandhar. A Tribune photograph

His score: 23 in a day
Sukhbir on stone-laying spree
Bathinda, February 18
Pointing to the anomaly in the right to purchase property by outsiders in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, SAD president Sukhbir Badal said today that his party would raise its voice against it.
Jasmail Singh, ex-MLA (centre), along with SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Badal in Bathinda on Monday. Also seen in the picture are (from left) Amarjit Singh and Sarup Chand Singla, area in-charge of SAD (B). Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

COMMUNITY

Badal opens water purification plants
Kotli Ablu (Muktsar), February 18
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today inaugurated drinking water plants in Kauni and Kotli Ablu villages in the Gidderbaha Assembly constituency of finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, assuring people that Malwa villages would soon get rid of contaminated groundwater for consumption.

Selection Panel Meeting
UPSC told to file reply
Chandigarh, February 18
The Central Administrative Tribunal today issued a notice to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to file a reply on an application seeking direction to hold the meeting of selection committee.

Punjab govt victimising me, my kin, says IGP
Chandigarh, February 18
Giving a twist to the cop-versus-cop case, Punjab’s inspector-general of police Rajinder Singh today claimed that the state government and others were “frantically involved” in cooking up “false and frivolous” proceedings against his family in retaliation for the filing of a writ petition by him.

Fleeing gangster Surti nabbed
Ludhiana, February 18
Over 48 hours after eight undertrials escaped from police custody outside Central Jail here, the Amritsar police today morning nabbed one of the fugitives, who is said to be the most dangerous of the bunch due to his reckless methods of killing the victims. While a statewide alert is on to nab the others before they regroup and script another crime, the police is relieved that at least the major member has been nabbed. The Bangala tribe is accused of killing over 100 persons from 2000 to 2003.

‘Life expectancy can be 150 years’
Amritsar, February 18
Life expectancy could be 150 years in the next century, claimed genetic scientists on the second day of the Fifth International Symposium on Genetics, Health and Disease here today.

Thousands pay last respects to Bularia
Amritsar, February 18
Residents of Amritsar bid adieu to departed leader Raminder Singh Bularia, sitting SAD MLA, who had died in a US hospital. The body of Bularia was consigned to flames with full state honours. Earlier, an ardas was held at Akal Takht by Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti.

The body of SAD MLA Raminder Singh Bularia being taken to the cremation ground in a procession in Amritsar on Monday. Photo: Vishal Kumar