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400 agitating ETT teachers released
Teachers unlock 565 schools, join duty
Hoshiarpur, September 14
Following the release of about 400 agitating ETT teachers, including 10 from Hoshiarpur, at Amritsar, who had been detained for their attempt to gherao the house of Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Ranjit Singh Brahmpura on September 12, the ETT teachers opened locks of all 565 government elementary schools and joined their duties throughout the district today. All the schools started functioning normally.

Transport Minister gets going
n Conducts surprise visit to bus stand, DTO office
n Announces computerisation of DTO offices, airconditioning of bus stands
Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal gets down from a Punjab Roadways bus after interacting with passengers at the bus stand in Nawanshahr on Tuesday Nawanshahr, September 14
Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal conducted a surprise visit to the Punjab Roadways bus stand, roadways depot, workshop and the offices of the District Transport Officer here this evening.

Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal gets down from a Punjab Roadways bus after interacting with passengers at the bus stand in Nawanshahr on Tuesday. A Tribune photo

EARLIER STORIES

	Arrest of ETT teachers triggers more protests; schools shut September 14, 2010
	ETT teachers detained to foil bid to gherao minister’s house September 13, 2010
	City tops state in dengue cases September 12, 2010
	Will resist all moves to acquire our land: Farmers September 11, 2010
	IMA doctors shy away from setting up DOTS centres September 10, 2010
	3 held with heroin, fake currency September 9, 2010
	Near-total strike in region, financial services hit September 8, 2010
	7-year RI for rapist September 7, 2010
	Electrocution case: ‘Negligent’ Powercom JE suspended, booked September 6, 2010

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Dead driver booked under NDPS Act
Phillaur: The police was forced to register a case against deceased truck driver Gulab of Sherpur village in Ferozepore under the NDPS Act after recovering 37 bags of poppy husk from a mini-truck which collided with a car near Noormahal on Saturday.

A half open manhole poses threat to commuters near the DC office in Jalandhar. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

325-km cycling expedition begins
Pathankot: A cycling expedition by troops of the 15th battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment from Black Arrow Brigade was flagged off by Brig R.K. Jagga, Commander, 16 (1) Armoured Brigade, from Mamun Military Station here today.

Industrialists, PPCB interact for a better environment
Hoshiarpur, September 14
To make the environment pollution free, an interaction between officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and representatives of large and medium industrialists of Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur was organised on the premises of Reliance Industries, Chohal, 8 km from here, last evening.

Guru Nanak Dev’s wedding anniversary celebrated
Batala, Separtment14
The marriage anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev was celebrated here today, with religious pomp and show. Guru Nanak Dev belonged to Sultanpur Lodhi, while his bride Bibi Sulakhani Devi belonged to Batala.

	400 agitating ETT teachers released Teachers unlock 565 schools, join duty Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, September 14 Following the release of about 400 agitating ETT teachers, including 10 from Hoshiarpur, at Amritsar, who had been detained for their attempt to gherao the house of Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Ranjit Singh Brahmpura on September 12, the ETT teachers opened locks of all 565 government elementary schools and joined their duties throughout the district today. All the schools started functioning normally. According to a press release by the general secretary of the district ETT Teachers Union, an emergency meeting of the union was held under the presidentship of Parminder Singh in which it was claimed that all the 565 government elementary schools being governed by the zila parishads and local bodies were locked on September 12 and their teachers participated in a day-long dharna and rally in the local Zila Parishad complex. Executive member Som Nath said the union would gherao Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and would not allow SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and Brahmpura to speak from any stage in Punjab. All the ETT teachers would continue their non-cooperative attitude towards the government. Teachers were agitating in a democratic way and they were not scared from the ESMA against the teachers on strike. Som Nath urged the Chief Minister and Sukhbir Badal not to back out from their promise regarding transfer of control of all the government elementary schools from the Panchayati Raj to the Education Department and provide a pay scale of Rs 10,300-34800+4200 to the ETT teachers.
	Transport Minister gets going n Conducts surprise visit to bus stand, DTO office n Announces computerisation of DTO offices, airconditioning of bus stands Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, September 14 Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal conducted a surprise visit to the Punjab Roadways bus stand, roadways depot, workshop and the offices of the District Transport Officer here this evening. The minister spent a long time here taking stock of the functioning of each branch of the DTO office and the Punjab Roadways. He interacted with passengers to get first-hand information about basic civic amenities and transport facilities. Later, while talking to mediapersons, the minister said the SAD-BJP government had been bringing revolutionary changes in the transport department. As many as 1,100 new buses, including airconditioned one, had been made operational in the state and the remaining 690 old buses would be replaced during the tenure of the government. DTO offices of Ropar, Mohali, Ludhiana and Jalandhar district were being computerised. Besides, the bus stands at Patiala and Mohali were being made airconditioned. These bus stands would be equipped with ultra-modern infrastructural facilities like malls, rest houses and even helipads. Besides, the SAD-BJP government had decided to equip all the bus stands situated at district headquarters with modern facilities. These bus stands would be developed by the department instead on the built, operate and transfer (BOT) basis, he added. Master Mohan Lal said the government had also recruited 1,140 drivers and conductors. Besides, as many as 600 new appointments were made on compassionate grounds. It was for the first time that the rules for the employees of the Punjab Roadways workshops had been formulated and as many as 1,000 workshop employees had been promoted, said the minister. DTO R.L. Jassal and local SAD-BJP leaders R. Shiv Kumar Tejpal, Shanker Duggal, Satish Tejpal, among others, were also present.
	Dead driver booked under NDPS Act Phillaur: The police was forced to register a case against deceased truck driver Gulab of Sherpur village in Ferozepore under the NDPS Act after recovering 37 bags of poppy husk from a mini-truck which collided with a car near Noormahal on Saturday. The accused driver was killed on the spot. — OC
	325-km cycling expedition begins Pathankot: A cycling expedition by troops of the 15th battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment from Black Arrow Brigade was flagged off by Brig R.K. Jagga, Commander, 16 (1) Armoured Brigade, from Mamun Military Station here today. The expedition will cover 325 km from Manali to the Sumdo valley near the Chinese border in 12 days. The expedition will pass through snow belts, high passes and meadows. Traversing an average altitude of over 3,500m, the route goes over the 4,551m high Kunzom La and, therefore, has adequate challenge and risk to test the mettle. The expedition will acquaint the troops with mountain lore and the unique ecology of Himachal Pradesh. — OC
	Industrialists, PPCB interact for a better environment Hoshiarpur, September 14 To make the environment pollution free, an interaction between officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and representatives of large and medium industrialists of Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur was organised on the premises of Reliance Industries, Chohal, 8 km from here, last evening. Chief Engineer D.K. Dua, senior environment engineers A.K. Kalsi, Joginder Singh and G.S. Gill represented the Punjab Pollution Control Board, whereas 40 delegates from various industries participated in the interaction. Dua emphasised on the need for tree plantation, minimisation of industrial waste and encouragement of recycling of water to help conserve the environment. He appealed to the large-scale industrial units to project themselves as role models in the field of social activities. He lauded the efforts of various industrial units in controlling pollution in general and taking a lead towards social responsibility in particular. Delegates shared their views and problems and pledged to make all possible efforts to protect the environment. President of the Reliance Industries Dipankar Gangopadyaya and Ashok Garg highlighted the efforts being made by industrialists to protect the environment and keep it neat and clean. — OC
	Guru Nanak Dev’s wedding anniversary celebrated Our Correspondent Batala, Separtment14 The marriage anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev was celebrated here today, with religious pomp and show. Guru Nanak Dev belonged to Sultanpur Lodhi, while his bride Bibi Sulakhani Devi belonged to Batala. As per rituals observed since long, a token Palki representing the bride groom is sent to Batala a day earlier. The Palki, accompanied by Baratis, is received by followers at Batala as per the tradition of a Punjabi wedding. The Barat, on its arrival, stayed at Gurudwara Satkrtarian on the previous night and parties to the marriage chanted holy slogans, uttered sithnies to the opposite camp as per Punjabi culture. In the morning today, the Barat, led by aesthetically designed Palki, left for Gurudwara Kandh Sahib where the formal Lavan-Phere were conducted. Thereafter, the Doli was sent to Gurudwara Satikartarian, after the soleminisation of the wedding ceremony. The entire town was decorated with buntings and lights. The procession taken out on the occasion, was joined by all political and religious leaders. Many barefoot devotees joined the procession from far-flung areas.