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TOP STORIES

Rapid Transport System for Amritsar 
REL team prepares feasibility report
Chandigarh, October 20
The mass rapid transport system (MRTS) for Amritsar is inching towards reality. A team of Reliance Energy Limited (REL) was in Amritsar to prepare a feasibility report of the project.

Transport Dept most ‘corrupt’
Jalandhar, October 20
While the level of corruption in the Transport Department regarding private carriers, especially trucks, is the highest in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, it is the lowest in Haryana in the country. This is the view of the National Motor Transport Congress, an organisation having several lakhs truckers as its members across the country. Besides Punjab and UP, other states where the level of transport-related corruption is very high include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand.

PLPA may be repealed
Chandigarh, October 20
The tug of war between babus and politicians over the interpretation of the Punjab Land Preservation (Choes) Act (PLPA) as synonymous with or different from the Indian Forest Act, seems to be going in favour of people, wherever Section 4 or 5 of the PLPA has restricted development in the state. In simple terms it means the government is contemplating repealing the Act and clarifying that areas in Punjab declared closed under the PLPA have no bar on development.

POLITICS

Gurta Gaddi Diwas Celebrations Conclude
CM for better ties with all sects
Talwandi Sabo, October 20
The three-day tercentenary celebrations of the Gurta Gaddi Diwas concluded today with speeches by Sikh religious leaders and those of the SAD, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.



Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SGPC chief Avtar Singh at Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda on Monday. Tribune photo: Kulbir Beera

Badal condemns M’rashtra incident
Talwandi Sabo, October 20
Expressing regret over the Maharashtra incident where activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena attacked candidates of the railway board examination, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today accused political leaders of spoiling harmony and peace in the country.

‘UPA failed to safeguard minorities’
Patiala, October 20
Accusing the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of having failed to safeguard the interests of the minority communities of the country, Punjab cooperation minister and general secretary of SAD Capt. Kanwaljit Singh alleged that the Central government had virtually pushed the country into a state of anarchy.

SAD (A) team visits grain markets
Sangrur, October 20
A team of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), led by state general secretary of the party Jeet Singh Alloarkh, today toured some grain markets and procurement centres in the Lehragaga area to know the problems of paddy growers, regarding distress sale of their produce or delay in the procurement of their crop.

COMMUNITY

Farmers block trains
Sangrur, October 20
Various farmer organisations today blocked rail traffic for three hours in the district to press for their demands, including adequate supply of the di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, steps to stop distress sale of cotton and enhanced MSP and bonus of paddy.





Farmers block a train as part of a statewide rail roko in Amritsar on Monday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

PCMSA members meet pay panel, seek better pay
Chandigarh, October 20
The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has expressed resentment against the shifting of administrative control of health programmes from doctors to bureaucrats. Dr Hardeep Singh, president of the association, who met members of the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission here today told the government through the commission about the frustration among doctors which was compelling them to leave jobs.

NRI accuses govt of land grab
Jalandhar, October 20
Yet another NRI family hailing from the Syana locality of Balachaur has been struggling to get its land back from a close relative of Balachaur MLA. Malkiat Singh (83), who is suffering from a coronary ailment, and his son Inderjit Singh have been making rounds of government offices to get the possession of their inherent land measuring 34 marla in a prime location in the Syana area, Balachaur.

Malkiat Singh

Rape victim seeks MLA’s presence in court
Says he is hand in glove with the accused
Chandigarh, October 20
The victim in the rape case involving Narinder Singh, director of Frontier Cycles, Ludhiana, has moved an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking to make a sitting Akali MLA a party in the case.

Labour Dept rescues 211 children
Jalandhar, October 20
Exactly after two years from the implementation of the Labour Child Act, the Punjab Labour Department has rescued 211 children who were working as labourers. The children, under the age of 14 years, have been rescued under the Act from various business establishments and houses in the state.

Turban Ban
Christian leaders to talk to Sarkozy
Pathankot, October 20
Christian leaders have decided to take up the issue of the ban imposed on wearing of turban in schools with the Sarkozy government.

PSEB trips on power management
Chandigarh, October 20
In a worst-case power management scenario, the PSEB surrendered 15 lakh units of energy to the grid in September even though it has made a payment of Rs 21 crore for unscheduled withdrawal in the same month.

Mohalla sanitation panels to go
Patiala, October 20
The Punjab government has decided to abolish Mohalla Sanitation Committees in all cities of Punjab and draw up a plan to regularise services of thousands of employees of the committees. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal made this announcement while presiding over a function to commemorate Parkash Utsav of Valmiki here yesterday.

R.S. Mann to be chairman of finance panel
Chandigarh, October 20
Former chief secretary R.S. Mann is set to become chairman of the Fourth Finance Commission for panchayats and municipalities.

7 prisoners of Sangrur district jail released
Sangrur, October 20
Despite the grant of remission in sentences by the Punjab government to more than 150 prisoners throughout the state on the occasion of Gurta Gaddi Diwas celebrations, three prisoners of Sangrur district jail could not get themselves released today as they could not pay fines imposed on them by the court. The names of the three prisoners are Jasbir Singh of Fatehgarh Chhanna village, Kesar Singh of Ruldu Singh Wala village and Surinder Singh of Bhawanigarh.

A ‘Saanjh’ with Sufi singers, Pak artistes
Amritsar, October 20
The drum beats of Lahore-based Panjtani group featuring 22 dholis (drummers) of international fame wove a magic with its rhythmic sounds and left the audience spellbound at the 5th Amritsar-Lahore Saanjh Festival-2008 held here last evening.

COURTS

Panel to look into burning of farm waste
Chandigarh, October 20
Acting on a petition bringing to fore the havoc to the environment caused by the burning of agriculture waste, the High Court today directed the states of Punjab and Haryana to constitute high-level committees.

PU teachers’ retirement age 
Final hearing on October 31
Chandigarh, October 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today made it clear that the issue of enhancing the retirement age of Panjab University (PU) teachers from 60 to 62 would be decided by October 31.