INTUC conference flays Punjab Govt
Dullo admits to ‘mistakes’
Ludhiana, September 24
After Left affiliated trade unions, it was the turn of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), affiliated to the Congress, to bash the Congress government in the state for its “anti labour” policies. The occasion was the state level conference which was attended among others by national president, Dr G Sanjeeva Reddy and state president, Dr Subash Sharma.

Awarded by Unesco, ignored by Punjab Government Chandigarh, September 24 Way back in the 1960s, when late Balraj Sahni, a famed film actor, came to Punjab from Bollywood, renowned Punjabi novelist Jaswant Singh Kanwal and poet Prof Mohan Singh handed over to him a Punjabi book, which became a cherished gift for him. After reading the book, Sahni invited the author of the book to stay with him in Mumbai. While inviting the author Sahni wrote, “This book will transform Punjab. You have done wonders! It has satiated me.”                                                         Giani Gurdit Singh

3 Pak militants killed in encounter with BSF
Abohar, September 24
The Border Security Force last night gunned down three Pakistani militants when they tried to infiltrate into Indian territory in the Anoopgarh sector in the neighbouring Sriganganagar region. Three AK 56 rifles, three Chinese pistols, 20 grenades and some Indian and Pakistani currency were recovered from them.

 

POLITICS

Badal’s poser to Manmohan, Sonia
Chandigarh, September 24
The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today asked the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to clarify whether the Punjab Chief Minster, Capt Amarinder Singh, was acting in defiance of their instructions on the acquisition of land from farmers.

Sonia’s stance vindicates my stand, says Jagmeet
Abohar, September 24
Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, former MP and a member of the AICC, said today that party president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, by cautioning the Chief Ministers during the Nainital conclave against acquiring productive agricultural land for special economic zones, had vindicated the stand taken by the CWC on his initiative.

11 members of panel back Darshan Singh
Amritsar, September 24
The controversy of Baba Budda College Beer Sahib (Thatha) Management Committee today took a new turn when 11 members of the committee along with chiefs of various other sects, organisations and political parties backed Baba Darshan Singh, president of the committee, and assured all support to him.

Amarinder has links with terrorists: Bitta
Patiala, September 24
All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta accused Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of being close to terrorists. He was speaking at a press conference held here.

COMMUNITY

CM seeks more funds from Centre
Chandigarh, September 24
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today strongly pleaded the Punjab’s case for acceleration of pace of modernisation of the police and sought a 100 per cent grant-in-aid from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Education of girls: NGO rises to occasion while govt shies away

Jhugian (Hoshiarpur)  September 24 The government has failed, to take up the task of providing education to girls in one of the most backward ‘Bet’ areas of the district but a non-government organisation has taken up this task. Swami Chetna Nand Maharaj Bhuriwale girls college in remote Mansowal village of Hoshiarpur has been providing education to 150 girls. The girls college being run by the Swami Chetna Nand Maharaj Bhuriwale Society in Hoshiarpur district. — Photo by Jangi

Probe begins into Dalit’s ‘custodial’ death
Sangrur, September 24
Mr Gurtej Singh, SDM, Sangrur, has started proceedings of the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Sangrur Deputy Commissioner into the alleged custodial death of a 20-year-old Dalit boy, Ballu Singh, son of Mr Mithu Singh, a resident of Chathe Sekhwan village, near here. Ballu Singh had allegedly died in police custody about a week ago.

Vedanti courts controversy
Amritsar, September 24
Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar of Akal Takht, yesterday courted yet another controversy when he honoured USA-based Dr Ganga Singh Dhillon , a Khalistani ideologue and president, Nankana Sahib Sikh Foundation, at a Gurdwara in Switzerland .

‘Sikh Vision 2025’ raises questions on clergy
Amritsar, September 24
The “Sikh Vision 2025”, a 612-page book authored by Hirsimran Singh and released by Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht, has raised many questions with regard to the Sikh clergy.

SGPC’s advisory panel

Police to bring out monthly in Punjabi
Chandigarh, September 24
Known for using lathis on peaceful demonstrators, policemen in Punjab now intend to wield the pen also. Beginning next month, an illustrated magazine in Punjabi is what the Police Department intends to bring out every month.

Homage paid to martyr
Abohar, September 24
Lieut-Gen M.A. Jaki (retd), Col Vikramjit Singh, Hony Capt Vishal Jadav, Hony Capt Ganpat Suryavanshi and some JCOs, who had participated in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, on Saturday visited the town to pay homage to Major Surinder Prasad of 19 Maratha Light Infantry, Kolhapur, who had attained martyrdom while leading Delta Coy. to recapture the Thathi Jaimal Singh post in the Khemkaran sector.

16 shops allotted to run passport office
Amritsar, September 24
The Improvement Trust today handed over allotment letters of 16 shops in the Nehru Shopping complex in the Lawrence Road area to Mr R.R. Desh, Chief Passport Officer, for setting up the much-awaited passport office here.

230 paediatricians attend conference
Hoshiarpur, September 24
A state-level conference of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics and Intensive Care Chapter, Punjab, organised jointly by the Paediatric Forum and a branch of the Indian Medical Association, Hoshiarpur, was inaugurated by Dr Harbans Lal, an ex-Professor and Head, Department of Paediatrics, Medical College, Patiala, here today in which more than 230 child specialists from all over the state participated.

AGRICULTURE

Crop in 62 villages damaged; girdawari ordered
Ferozepore, September 24
Standing crop in more than 42,114 acres has been damaged in 62 villages of this district due to hailstorm two days back. Hundreds of farmers, whose standing crops were lashed by the hailstorm, have demanded a compensation from the state government.

Crop damage: CM seeks report, farmers to get relief
Chandigarh, September 24
While the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, yesterday instructed the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) to order a special girdawri to assess the damage to crops due to rain and hailstorms in various parts of the state yesterday, the Agriculture Department has directed its officials to be in touch with farmers to assist them in handling the flattened paddy crops at this stage.

Dr Khush to meet PM for biotech institute in Punjab
Rakhra (Patiala), September 24
Dr Gurdev Singh Khush, an eminent agriculture scientist and renowned rice breeder, here today called upon farmers to use the underground water with restrain to save the state from becoming another Rajasthan.

Bumper cotton crop expected

Mansa, September 24 A bumper cotton crop is expected this year and farmers coming to sell their produce in the biggest cotton mandi in Asia here are elated. Because of high temperatures throughout July and August this year, the arrival of first harvest of the crop is gaining momentum here. Mr Mithu Singh, a farmer from Kothe Laluana village, is all smiles as he displays his cotton produce near Mansa on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

CRIME

Woman jumps into minor with three kids; all dead
Fazilka, September 24
A middle-aged woman of a poor family allegedly committed suicide with her three children by jumping into a canal near Muktsar.

2 cops booked for killing cattle thief
Bathinda, September 24
Two policemen have been booked for allegedly killing a cattle thief after a long chase at Gayana village on the intervening night of September 20-21. ASI Surjeet Singh has been arrested, while head constable Lakhbeer Singh is still at large.

Three killed in road mishap
Ropar, September 24
Three persons were killed while three others sustained serious injuries when the truck in which they travelling hit a tree near Dher village in Anandpur Sahib last night. The three killed on the spot were identified as Balram Singh, Harminder Singh and Amrik Singh, the driver.

Husband, in-laws booked
Hoshiarpur, September 24
Ms Arwinder Kaur of Mugowal village in Hoshiarpur district has alleged that she was maltreated and tortured by her NRI husband and other members of her in-laws family.

6 held on kidnapping charge
Hoshiarpur, September 24
The district police here has solved the kidnapping case of Kamlesh Singh, son of Mohinder Singh, of Basoa village. Kamlesh was kidnapped on September 8 by Panjab Singh, son of Kirpal Singh, of Jaloke, under Mamdot police station of Ferozepore district and his accomplices.

EDUCATION

Students hold exhibition
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 24
Students of the Om Parkash Bansal Modern School, Mandi Gobindgarh, held an exhibition on the confluence of science, modernity and art at the school yesterday.

Jobless teachers plan protests during PM’s visit
Chandigarh, September 24
The Unemployment B.Ed Teachers’ Front, Punjab, held an emergency meeting in Sector 17 here today. The teachers have been on a relay fast for the past 20 days in front of the DPI (Secondary) office. They are demanding that they be provided regular jobs.

BUSINESS

SBoP steps up lending to rice shellers
Chandigarh, September 24
The State Bank of Patiala has asked all its branch heads in Punjab to step up lending to rice sheller units in the state. Mr C S Jagdish, Deputy General Manager, State Bank of Patiala, who is personally monitoring all loan cases on a daily basis, said that the bank was organising special camps at various towns in Punjab. He assured all rice millers that their loan cases would be processed and sanctioned on a priority basis, and all bank managers had been advised accordingly.