Abohar
Community centre renovation: Consumer Movement chairman, Satpal Khariwal, has questioned the propriety of utilising the grant on equipping the badminton hall of the Community Centre with air-conditioners whereas it was released by Sher Singh Ghubaya for promotion of sports. Recalling that Sher Singh Ghubaya, the then chief parliamentary secretary, had announced Rs one lakh grant each during Independence Day functions in 2007 and 2008 but the administration has confirmed having received Rs one lakh only. He urged the state government to get the community centre renovated under the guidance of experts as it still looked like a godown. 

Relaxation for aided colleges: While welcoming the long awaited decision concerning relaxation to the teachers of the government aided colleges for senior scale/selection grade by the state government, Prof Iqbal Singh Sandhu, president of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), has thanked the education minister Upinderjit Kaur. 

Extempore speech contest: Shankar and Narinderjit Singh won first and second prizes respectively while Vikas and Priya Chugh shared third position in the extempore speech competition that was conducted by Ajay Khosla, Ashish Makkar, Gurpreet Kaur and Shailey under the aegis of the planning forum at the DAV College of Education today, informed principal Dr Venita Singh. Prof SK Oberoi, Monika and Rajpal Kaur formed the penal of judges.

Jalandhar
ASHA workers’ protest on Feb 24: To press the government for the acceptance of their demands, ASHA workers across the country are going to hold a national-level protest in Delhi on February 24. This was stated by ASHA Workers Union state president Amarjit Kaur Kameana. The president of union said both Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Director, NRHM, would be approached to raise the demand of proper implementation of labour laws on ASHA workers. 

Pensioners demand parity: Under the banner of the All-India Central Government Pensioners Association (AICGPA), government and family pensioners have urged the UPA government to honour the verdict of the Supreme Court in the pension case and grant them parity under Article 14 of the Constitution. In a representation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICGPA (North India Region) general secretary V.S. Jolly has pleaded for total parity in pension for all the 38 lakh Central government and family pensioners. Jolly mentioned that the pensioners were aware of the financial position of the Centre and thus didn’t demand arrears of pension prior to January 2006. 

Mansa
BKU seeks adequate power: Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) on Thursday blocked road traffic on the Mansa-Barnala road and staged a dharna in front of the power grid to protest against the poor electricity supply to agriculture and absence of water in the Kotla branch canal. The protesting leaders said that farmers were bound to use diesel engines to get water for irrigation. Addressing the farmers, district president of the BKU Ugrahan Ram Singh Bhainibagha said when farmers need water for the wheat crop, then poor electricity supply and absence of water in the canal badly affects the farmers. Another farmer leader Inderjit Singh Jhabbar said they have been getting electricity supply only for four hours due to faults and cuts and the Kotla branch canal is without water since January 15. They demanded proper electricity supply and water in the Kotla branch canal that was affecting the farmers of three districts. 

Phagwara
No police action in torture case: Even after five days of torturing a woman by a former SHO of Phillaur, no action has been initiated by the police against the accused, while the victimised widow, Paramjit Kaur, is still lying in the Phillaur Civil Hospital with blunt injuries. Reports said that Paramjit Kaur was allegedly tortured physically and mentally by former SHO of Phillaur Jaswinder Singh on January 30. The victim, while talking to newsmen in the hospital, alleged that her husband, who died in 2000, was facing a police case, and the ASI concerned went on harassing her even after the death of her husband.

Big theft in Goraya: Burglars struck at the house of Saroop Chand Bansal in Guru Nanak Colony Colony in Goraya last night and decamped with 46 tolas of gold ornaments, Rs 7 lakh and valuables, including three silver glasses. The police has registered a case.