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Be fair to Punjab, CM tells Centre
Dakala (Patiala), January 28
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said it is high time to alert the Centre that it should shun its indifferent attitude towards Punjab’s farming community and ensure a level-playing field for the state industry.

Tribune Special
Uncertain legal status of PSEB
Tariff revision plea ignored
Jalandhar, January 28
Uncertain on the legal status of the Punjab State Electricity Board, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission has not entertained the board’s annual revenue requirement and tariff revision petition for 2009-10 on record.

Families of martyrs face neglect
Chandigarh, January 28
The country and Punjab paid homage to its martyrs on Monday, but for many families of martyrs in the state this Republic Day too remained one of promises unfulfilled. Their future hinges on a date for the past five months.

Protecting Golden Temple from pollution
PPCB for ban on burning of diesel, coal
Amritsar, January 28
The government is contemplating a ban on use of fuel other than LPG by goldsmiths, hotels and dhabas in the walled city here to reduce pollution affecting the Golden Temple, following a report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

POLITICS

‘Sukhbir rise will lead to poll violence’
Chandigarh, January 28
Punjab Pradesh Congress president Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said today that Sukhbir Badal’s induction in the cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister would lead to an era of political terrorism in the state.

12 Cong panchayats join SAD
Nabha, January 28
Advocating more powers for the states, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal said today that even Congress-ruled states were asking for enhanced powers. Badal was in the town to address a public rally at the grain market. He said even for patty matters states had to look forward to the Centre, resulting in loss of time and unnecessary delay in completion of projects.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, along with representatives of 12 Congress panchayats, who joined the SAD at Nabha on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

COMMUNITY

Prayers for PM raise Badal’s stature
Chandigarh, January 28
With the Congress leadership in the state busy fighting each other, Punjab’s Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has taken upon himself the role that should ordinarily have been performed by the Congress itself. Accepting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as a Punjabi first and Prime Minister next, Badal got an akhand path (continuous recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib) started at the Golden Temple that concluded today.

Pak wall raises BSF hackles
Amritsar, January 28
The BSF has reportedly raised objections to the construction of a wall near the Radcliffe line at the Attari-Wagah joint check post. A seven-member delegation of the BSF, led by Commandant Indraj Singh, met with Tariq Hussain, wing commander Sutlej Rangers, and other officers at a monthly meeting here today.

Panel to launch drive to identify anaemic women
Chandigarh, January 28
The Punjab State Women’s Commission would launch a special drive across the state to improve the hemoglobin count of young women. The drive to be undertaken in collaboration with the state Health Department is aimed at identifying anaemic women in rural areas who would then be provided medicines.

Encroachments cleared in Nangal
Nangal, January 28
A team of officials from the local administration and police removed around 40 encroachments from the Adda Market road on Tuesday morning.

Sangrur to have Patwar Bhawans
Sangrur, January 28
Patwar Bhawans will be constructed at Sunam, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Lehragaga and Moonak subdivision headquarters of this district.

COURTS

Gang Rape
Victim identifies ‘perpetrators of crime’
Chandigarh, January 28
A “deaf and dumb” girl, allegedly gang raped by police officials, has identified the “perpetrators of crime” in a test identification parade. On the other hand, the victim has not identified the person projected by the police as the accused in the case. Taking up the petition alleging implication filed by accused Lakhwinder Singh, Justice Mohinder Pal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed his release on bail.

Custodial Death
Compensation for kin; probe ordered
Chandigarh, January 28
Swaranjeet Singh got “interim” relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Just over two years after the Amritsar resident’s son died in “custody”, Justice Surya Kant today directed the payment of Rs 2 lakh interim compensation.

Court rejects bail plea of ex-sarpanch
Moga, January 28
The District and Sessions court today rejected the bail application of Harnek Singh, a local Congress leader and former sarpanch of Ramuwala Kalan village, in a sexual exploitation case as the police submitted the DNA report in the court, which has matched with the DNA report of the girl child born to the victim woman.

Imposition of additional stamp duty challenged
Chandigarh, January 28
Claiming imposition of additional stamp duty of three per cent in the name of social security fund by Punjab was unconstitutional, illegal and arbitrary, a PIL has sought directions to quash it. Refund of amount illegally collected has also been sought. Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Hemant Gupta have issued notice of motion for February 4.

CRIME

Puhla killers’ plan to flee jail foiled
Amritsar, January 28
The police raided the local Central Jail late this evening and recovered three cellphones from accused in the killing of Nihang chief Baba Puhla Singh. One of the accused was involved in the Rs 30-lakh bank robbery at the SBI branch in the Bhagtanwala area.