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Parts of 'Dasam Granth'
in various languages ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 To mark the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, the Centre would publish select parts of the "Dasam Granth", authored by Guru Gobind Singh, in different languages of the country to disseminate the message of the Guru throughout the country. Lukewarm response to Amarinders yatra GHARAM (PATIALA), April 7 The Sarbans Dani Shradha Yatra being organised by the PPCC failed to evoke enthusiasm among ruralites even though Congress men from all over the state flocked to Patiala to make it a success. |
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![]() Anandpur Sahib Bathinda Chandigarh Ferozepore Ludhiana Muktsar Patiala
Wheat procurement starts |
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SGPC chief did not allot
space: Bhaur ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, former acting President of the SGPC, today said that Bhai Mohkam Singh, on behalf of the Sant Samaj, had submitted an application to Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC President, seeking allotment of SGPC land for organising a conference on the Khalsa tercentenary, but she allegedly did not do so.
Medical
teachers' pay scales revised Order
to probe disappearance Hearing
on plea seeking bar on PM put off Khalsa
march leaves for Anandpur Sahib
Steps
to baptise prisoners CM
urged to abolish death penalty Rangretta
march ends Stir
threat on Bhagwat issue |
MC president removed | ![]() |
"Follow Guru's teachings" |
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Parts of 'Dasam Granth' in
various languages ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 To mark the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, the Centre would publish select parts of the "Dasam Granth", authored by Guru Gobind Singh, in different languages of the country to disseminate the message of the Guru throughout the country. This was stated by Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Human Resources Development Minister and Chairman of the National Programme Implementation Committee for the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations, while holding a joint press conference along with the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, at the media centre here this evening. Mr Joshi said the Centre desired to spread the message of the Guru as it was based on the principles of brotherhood, "sarbat da bhalla" and "all are equal". He said, the programme implementation committee had also urged the Railway Ministry to run a special train in which an exhibition relating to the Sikh history and relics should be held. This train should visit every part of the country. The Union Minister also said the Centre had already released a grant of Rs 19 crore to Punjab while the remaining grant would be given in instalments for the tercentenary celebrations. He said he had written letters to the Chief Ministers of all states for holding celebrations from whom he had got a positive response. He said, the Centre had set aside Rs 50 crore for these states. Mr Joshi also said memorials in memory of four "Piaras", whose native places were in the country, were being raised at Bidar, Jagannath Puri, Hastinapur (Delhi) and Dwarka. He said the central government had been making efforts for raising such a memorial at Lahore to which one of the "Panj Piaras" belonged. Mr Joshi said the programme implementation committee had also invited scholars to disseminate the universal message of the Gurus throughout the world. He also said seminars, lectures and conferences would also be organised during the tercentenary celebration year to focus on the historical facts and evidence regarding Sikhism. He said the tercentenary celebration committees of all states had been directed to name the important buildings and bhawans after Guru Gobind Singh. He said if any state government wanted to name its university after Guru Gobind Singh it was free to do so. Mr Joshi also assured that the central government would take steps to record the names of all those who had sacrificed their lives for the country in the history books prescribed for schools as this could not be done in the past 50 years. Mr Badal said the central government and its departments had provided necessary information and help in all respects for the tercentenary celebrations. Mr Badal said the state
was considering making the Chandigarh-Anandpur Sahib road
a four-lane one for reducing traffic congestion. |
Lukewarm response to
Amarinders yatra GHARAM (PATIALA), April 7 The Sarbans Dani Shradha Yatra being organised by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) failed to evoke enthusiasm among ruralites even though Congress men from all over the state flocked to Patiala to make it a success. Though Congress men made considerable efforts by hosting numerous receptions for the yatra in an apparent show of strength in the home town of the PPCC President, Capt Amarinder Singh, the yatra failed to interest the ruralites, who largely stayed away except at a few places like Bhunerheri. The PPCC President himself threw a damper by deputing his wife, Mrs Parneet Kaur, for the yatra, which started this morning after a night's halt. Some people had gathered at the Pir Bhikham Shah, where the yatra had halted. The yatra then moved to Devigarh, where a few people had gathered to welcome it. At Bhunerheri and the Bahadurgarh Gurdwara, a number of people had gathered to witness the yatra. Congress sources said the poor response in the rural areas was despite the fact that meetings to inform the public about the yatra had been held up to the block level and posters proclaiming the PPCC President as 'Guru pant da das' had been pasted in villages. The yatra itself, however, presented a colourful sight. Three light commercial vehicles were arranged for the occasion. Of these, two vehicles contained those shastras and relics associated with Guru Gobind Singh which from part of the personal collections of the Patiala and Nabha royal houses and the Bagrian family. The vehicles were painted in saffron and enclosed with bullet-proof glass, with the shastras displayed aesthetically inside. The yatra was welcomed on the outskirts of Patiala city by the District Urban Congress President, Mr Ved Prakash Gupta, after being in the charge of Mr Hardyal Singh. Capt Amarinder Singh joined the yatra at Qila Mubarak, where he and his family members paid obeisance to the shastras, as per family tradition. The District Congress Committee presented siropas to the PPCC chief and 'Maharaja' of Nabha Hanumant Singh. Following this, the yatra winded its way through the walled city before leaving for Nabha. The PPCC chief was garlanded at many places, including Sheranwala Gate, where Senior Congress leaders, Mr Vishnu Sharma and Mr Sanjeev Garg, organised a langar. Parts of the walled city
and roads leading to Patiala had been decorated. The
yatra was accompanied by numerous buses and will go to
important Sikh historical places, including the Damdami
Taksal and Fatehgarh Sahib, before culminating at
Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi. |
Steps to regulate traffic PATIALA: The district administration has taken a number of steps to regulate traffic and beautify certain areas. The busiest Mall Road will have a divider from Fountain Chowk to the bus stand. Reflectors are also being installed for the help of drivers. Saplings have also been planted on both sides of the road. In the second phase, two overbridges will be constructed near the Kali Temple and the bus stand. Coinciding with the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa, the beautification of the area around the historic Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and the removal of several traffic bottlenecks is also being done. The Rajbaha drain has been desilted and saplings planted on the road. Apart from this, an old fountain near the Gurdwara has been painted afresh and made operational. Three more fountains are under construction between the Rajbaha drain and the Baradari Gardens. A slip road on the traffic light chowk has also been widened. Shops near the gurdwara have been painted afresh. An iron railing is also being fitted on the road. Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir said in the next phase, two inner roads of the Baradari Gardens, one leading from the gate at the end of the gurdwara to the Leela Bhavan gate and the second from the Circuit House to railway barrier 19 near Capital Cinema, would also be four-laned. The barrier was also being widened. Saplings have also been planted on the Patiala-Rajpura road up to Punjabi University. Red lights have been installed on the bus stand-end of the railway flyover, which has become infamous for accidents. The construction of the divider on the Mall Road has, however, been criticised by local residents. Mr Avtar Singh, president of the Patiala Colonies Welfare Federation, said while "there was an urgent need for a divider on the Mall Road, the manner in which it has been constructed is not appreciable". He complained that no iron railings were constructed to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from closing over to the other side. Secondly, no openings had been left in the divider for traffic inflow from three approach roads. Thirdly, the Mall Road had become narrow as the divider was constructed without widening the road, he said. The Deputy Commissioner
said the Mall Road would be widened to facilitate smooth
flow of traffic. He said it was planned to widen the road
either near Fountain Chowk or build slip roads. |
Wheat procurement starts MUKTSAR, April 7 The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies have started procuring wheat in all the 60 purchase centres of this district. In a press note issued here today, Mr Phulwant Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, said the FCI would buy wheat at 33 centres, Markfed at nine, Punsup at eight and the Punjab Warehousing Corporation at four. He added that the Gidderbaha purchase centre had been allotted to all the procurement agencies, including the FCI while Muktsar and Malout purchase centres had been allotted only to state procurement agencies. The Bariwala purchase centre had been left for only Markfed and the Punjab Warehousing Corporation. Mr Sidhu said instructions had been given to procurement agency officials to purchase the wheat at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 550 up to moisture limit of 14 per cent. He said arrangements for shelter, electricity and drinking water had been made in all the purchase centres. Mr Sidhu pointed out that procurement agency officials would have to give reasons for rejecting wheat of any farmer. The record of arrival, sale and lifting of wheat at all the purchase centres would be maintained on the day-to-day basis. He added that gunny bags and space for storing the wheat had also been arranged. PATIALA: The Punjab Arhtiya Association yesterday urged the state government to start procuring wheat at the earliest as foodgrain had started arriving in bulk in various mandis of the state. In a statement here, the Association President, Mr Harjit Singh Sheru, said besides this the government should also make arrangements for gunny bags in the mandis. The Punjab Mandi Board had also not provided facilities, and made-arrangements for electricity connections for power cleaners. Mr Sheru said there was no need to create a flying squad to check quality and weight at various centres. HOSHIARPUR: (FOC): All
arrangements for the procurement of wheat have been
completed in Hoshiarpur district. As many as 57 centres
have been set up in the district for procurement, Mr
Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner said here on
Wednesday. Out of these centres 12 have been allotted to
FCI, 12 to Warehouse Corporation, 11 each to of Punsup
and Markfed and seven to the Food Supplies Department. He
hoped 95,000 tonnes of wheat arrival during this season
as compared to 86,000 tonnes last year. |
SGPC chief did not allot
space: Bhaur ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, former acting President of the SGPC, today said that Bhai Mohkam Singh, on behalf of the Sant Samaj, had submitted an application to Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC President, seeking allotment of SGPC land for organising a conference on the Khalsa tercentenary, but she allegedly did not do so. He was talking to newsmen at the site of their proposed conference near Qila Anandgarh Sahib, from where Bhai Ranjit Singh, the suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former SGPC President, Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, President of the Sant Samaj, will now address a gathering. Mr Bhaur also alleged that the administration had made attempts to create hurdles in their way so that they did not get a proper place here to organise a conference. Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, a former Secretary-General of the Youth Akali Dal, said their faction was grateful to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who had given a chance to them to hold a "conference of the Panth". Otherwise the pilgrims would have had to attend a 'sarkari conference'. Mr Panjoli also said that Bhai Ranjit Singh would also lead the main Khalsa march from Kiratpur Sahib to Anandpur Sahib on April 12. A Khalsa march from Calcutta, under the leadership of Prof Darshan Singh, former jathedar of Akal Takht, was on its way to Anandpur Sahib, while a march would begin from Akal Takht on April 11 under the leadership of Bhai Ranjit Singh. The third march would be taken out from Talwandi Sabo under the leadership of Mr Jasbir Singh Rode. All these marches would
merge into one on April 12 at Morinda and go to Kiratpur
Sahib on the same day before departing for Anandpur
Sahib. Mr Tohra would also accompany the main Khalsa
march from Kiratpur Sahib. |
Power cuts meant to 'boost'
generator sales BATHINDA, April 7 With summer yet to begin, this district is already facing severe power cuts. The unannounced power cuts in the district have made the lives of residents miserable and they are also facing acute shortage of drinking water. Mr KS Momi, Executive Engineer, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, told TNS that frequent power cuts had adversely affected the functioning of the water purification plant here and reduced its capacity by about 20 per cent. This had resulted in low pressure of water in remote parts of this city. He added that the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities had been urged to ensure 24-hour power supply to the water purification plant to maintain adequate pressure in the underground water pipes. On the other hand, the power cuts had adversely affected the students and traders also. Due to unscheduled power cuts, college students preparing for their final examinations were affected. Similarly, owing to long power cuts in the evening, shopkeepers have to down their shutters at 6 pm instead of 8 pm. Residents alleged that unscheduled power cuts were being imposed by the PSEB authorities to promote the sales of power generator manufacturers in the city. The PSEB authorities were imposing power cuts of about six hours daily despite the fact that two thermal power plants were located in the district. A senior officer of the PSEB distribution circle on condition of anonymity, said that about four units three of the Ropar Thermal Plant and one of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant here were lying closed. Apart from it, power was being sold to other states by the PSEB in the winter season. These two things had adversely affected the power supply in Punjab. Mr Kewal Krishan
Aggarwal, General Secretary, DCC, alleged that on the one
hand, PSEB authorities had given direct power supply from
the transformers free of cost to certain influential
persons in this district. On the other hand, the PSEB
could not supply adequate power to the residents who were
paying for electricity. |
Medical teachers' pay scales
revised CHANDIGARH, April 7 The Punjab Government here today issued a notification revising the pay scales of the teaching staff of government medical and dental colleges in the state. According to the notification, senior lecturers have been given the pay scale of Rs 14,300-18,150 and assistant and associate professors have been given the pay scale of Rs 16,350-20,100. Professors have been given the pay scale of Rs 18,600-22,100 and principals of these colleges will get a pay scale of Rs 18,600-22,100 and an additional special allowance of Rs 600 per month. The Director, Research and Medical Education, has also been given a pay scale at par with the principals, but in his case a special allowance will be Rs 1,000 per month. Apart from this, the teaching staff of these colleges has been given all allowances like non-practising, higher qualification, conveyance and academic and rent-free accommodation allowances on the pattern of PCMS doctors. However, no benefit of the UGC under this pay structure will be given to them. Regarding the release of arrears, Finance Department's existing instructions in the case of PCMS doctors will be followed. Satisfied with the revised pay scales, Dr A.S. Sidhu, Chairperson of the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association, and Dr R.S. Gill, Dr Kiranjeet Kaur and Dr O.P. Aggarwal, members of the core committee of the association, urged the government to take up their pending demands. They said they had urged the state government to redesignate them on the pattern of the PGI doctors. The association has asked the government to designate associate professors as additional professors, assistant professors as associate professors and senior lecturers as assistant professors. They said whenever they went to the PGI or other states for participation in academic conferences, they had to accept a lower status due to their designations Thanking the Punjab
Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for getting the
notification issued, the association leaders said they
had been delinked from the Fourth State Pay Commission
and a special higher-level committee was set up under the
chairmanship of Mr Badal to revise their pay scales. |
Order to probe disappearance CHANDIGARH, April 7 Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Amritsar police to register a case under Sections 364 and 342, I.P.C, immediately on the receipt of this order and investigate the disappearance of Mr Sanjay Kumar. The judge handed down this order on a petition filed by Mr Vipin Kumar, a relative of Mr Sanjay Kumar, alleging that Mr Sanjay Kumar had been picked up by the police in Amritsar district. In his order the judge held: "I give directions to the S.H.O. of Islamabad police station in Amritsar to immediately register a case. The investigation of this case be immediately handed over to the CIA staff, Amritsar. The case shall be investigated by an officer not below the rank of Inspector whose investigation shall be verified by a D.S.P." "If Sanjay Kumar is located during the course of investigation, he shall be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Amritsar, who shall record his statement as and where he remained and who were the persons responsible for his alleged detention," the judge ruled. "Since the
respondents (the State of Punjab, the S.S.P. of Amritsar
and the SHO of Islamabad and the officer in charge of Kot
Khalsa police post, Amritsar have taken a categorical
stand that Mr Sanjay Kumar is not in their custody and
the petitioner is alleging that he had been picked up by
the police at Islamabad and was taken to Kot Khalsa
police post, therefore, it has become necessary to save
the life of a human being", the judge added. |
Hearing on plea seeking bar on
PM put off AMRITSAR, April 7 The hearing on a petition for restraining the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, from inaugurating the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations at Anandpur Sahib tomorrow, fixed for today, has been postponed to April 29 as the notice could not be served to the respondents yesterday. Tohra loyalists, including Mr Sarup Singh, an SGPC member, and Mr Mohinder Singh, an NRI, had filed an application under Section 142 of the Gurdwara Act before the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission yesterday. The petitioners had sought a directive to the President of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh, and the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, saying that the Prime Minister should not be allowed to inaugurate the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa Panth as it was mandatory for all Sikhs to partake of 'amrit' to mark the tercentenary. The petitioners also
moved the Sikh commission to debar the pro-Badal SGPC
executive members from the celebrations by declaring them
'patits'. They also sought these executive members'
dismissal. |
Khalsa march leaves for
Anandpur Sahib FEROZEPORE, April 7 A large number of men, women and elderly persons hailing from different parts of this border district, under the banner of the Dashmesh Khalsa March, today left for Anandpur Sahib to participate in the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations, to be inaugurated there on April 8, by the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. They left in jeeps, trucks, cars and other vehicles from the historic Sri Jamni Sahib Gurdwara at Bazidpur village, near here. The Minister of State for Cooperation and Sainik Welfare, Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, led the march, which would reach Anandpur Sahib tomorrow after passing through various towns and cities, including Jagraon, Ludhiana, Samrala and Morinda. Flower petals were showered by an aeroplane on the marchers. Before the beginning of the march, an "ardas" (prayer) for the welfare of humanity was held. Many officers of the administration, including the DC, ADCs, SSP and SDM were present. Meanwhile, Siri March
being undertaken by the Bahujan Samaj Party from Sri
Damdama Sahib Talwandi Sabo to Sri Kesgarh Sahib at
Anandpur Sahib reached here last evening. Today morning
it left for the next journey. According to the party's
state vice-president, Mr Lal Singh Sulhani, the march
would reach Anandpur Sahib on April 13. |
War widows not given
their due BATHINDA, April 7 Mrs Balwinder Kaur, a war widow was allotted 10 acres of land by the Central Government after the death of her husband in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. A resident of Kothe Lal Singh village, she is running from pillar to post to get the land but without any success. Mrs Nand Kaur, widow of Hav Pala Singh, who died in the Indo-China war was allotted 10 bighas of land by the government but has not got its possession so far. She does not even have money to get medical treatment. Mrs Tej Kaur of Ghudha village, whose husband Karnail Singh died in war, also has not been allotted land due to her. Mrs Sukhdev Kaur, another war widow is battling to get her 9 bighas of land back from a "land-grabber" at Bambiha village. The war widows of Bathinda and Manda districts who assembled at a meeting of war widows organised at the local military station, said though they were getting pensions regularly, they were facing several difficulties which the authorities concerned had failed to solve. Mrs Sunila Seth, wife of
Major-General C.M. Seth, COs Headquarters, 10 corps, who
presided over the meeting assured them that the
government and the Army would look after their welfare.
She said medical and canteen facilities were being
provided to the war widows. |
Steps to baptise prisoners NANGAL, April 7 The development work at Anandpur Sahib will continue at the same pace after the tercentenary celebrations and work on the Khalsa heritage memorial complex will speed up after April 14, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said while talking to newspersons here today. He said Anandpur Sahib would be developed as a tourist spot. About the controversy being raised by Mr Tohras associates regarding the inauguration of the tercentenary celebrations by the Prime Minister, he said it was unfortunate that political colour was being given on this occasion. When asked if any invitation had been extended to Bhai Ranjit Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he said there was no need for an invitation. Any leader with humility was welcome to participate in the celebrations. Regarding the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh, he said it was for the SGPC to decide and that the Punjab Government had no role in it. About the release of
TADA detainees on the occasion, he said the court had not
permitted their release. He, however, said the government
would make special arrangements for those prisoners who
wanted to get baptised. |
CM urged to abolish death
penalty AMRITSAR, April 7 The Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) have demanded abolishment of death penalty to mark the tercentenary of the birth of Khalsa. In a joint memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the Dal Khalsa Secretary-General, Mr Kanwar Pal Singh, and the Akali Dal (Amritsar) president, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, urged him to make the historic announcement of abolishing death penalty on the occasion of the Khalsa tercentenary. Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Kanwar Pal Singh said the Akali government should release all Sikh detainees languishing in various jails. He said his organisation had demanded compensation for those who had faced state repression during militancy. The Dal Khalsa appealed to the Chief Minister to personally visit the jails and listen to the 'woes' of the Sikh detainees who had gone on an indefinite fast from April 1. He said more than 50 Sikh youths in Nabha and Jalandhar jails were on an indefinite fast to mark their protest against the alleged indifference of the Akali government towards the Sikh cause. The Dal Khalsa leader
said his organisation had nothing to do with the
Badal-Tohra feud, which had marred the spirit of the
Khalsa celebrations. |
Rangretta march ends ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 The 11-day Rangretta march, which began from Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib in Delhi on March 28 to mark the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations, ended at Takht Keshgarh Sahib here this afternoon. The march was received by Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of the Takht, and Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Punjab Agriculture Minister. About 300 marchers, including women and children, completed their yatra on foot. They covered about 360 km and passed through Murthal, Panipat, Karnal, Pipli, Ambala, Banur, Mohali, Bhatta Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib before reaching here. The march was organised by Bhai Manjit Singh. Besides him, others who participated in the march included Mr Dalwinder Singh, a Vice-President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and Mr Kalmohan Singh, a member of the committee. Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of the Takht, presented siropa to the Panj Piaras who led the march. Later, the marchers
returned to their respective destinations in and around
Delhi. |
Stir threat on Bhagwat issue LUDHIANA, April 7 The Indian Ex-Servicemen League, Punjab and Chandigarh, has threatened to launch an agitation next month if the demands, including reinstatement of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat were not accepted by the government immediately. Talking to newsmen here today, Lt-Col Chanan Singh Dhillon, (retd), said the dismissal of the naval chief was patently wrong. Even if his services were to be dispensed with the government should have followed a proper transparent procedure which was a court martial. He also said while India had released thousands of Pakistani prisoners of war captured in 1971, 54 Indian POWs continued to languish in Pakistani jails. Immediate steps should be taken to bring them home. He also drew the
attention of the government towards deployment of Chinese
nuclear missiles at the Indian border and said the
Government of India must take proper counter measures. He
complained that the Punjab Government had failed to allot
promised land to the widows of gallantry award winners
and to ensure 13 per cent reservation for ex-servicemen
in the services. They were also being denied proper
representation on sainik welfare bodies, he complained. |
Municipal Council president
removed FEROZEPORE, April 7 Mr Dharam Singh Aulakh president of the local Municipal Council, has been removed from the office under Section of the Punjab Municipal Act, 19, according to a notification. Mr Aulakh was served with a show cause notice on November 12, 1998, to explain why he should not be removed from the presidentship and debarred from contesting election for a period of five years. The allegation against him was that he had drawn Rs 18 lakh on October 12,1998, Rs 10 lakh on October 27,1998, under Section 35 of the Punjab Municipal Act, thus indulging in gross misuse of power. According to the
notification, another allegation against Mr Aulakh was
that he had failed to regularly convene meetings of the
Municipal Council as provided under Section 25 (1) of the
Act. |
People urged to follow Guru's
teachings CHANDIGARH, April 7 Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Technical Education Minister of Punjab and chief coordinator of the Bhai Himmat Singh Khalsa March, today appealed to the masses to follow the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh. Speaking at a function
at Kasipur, after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Sri
Nankana Sahib, she said Guru Gobind Singh had founded the
Khalsa 300 years ago to establish a casteless and
classless society. The entire life of the Guru was a saga
of supreme sacrifice for upholding the dignity, honour
and unity of the nation. |
Katia case adjourned CHANDIGARH, April 7 The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today adjourned till April 10 the judgement on the Katia Darnard molestation case. Mr Sant Parkash had reserved the order on the case on April 1 for today after hearing arguments of the defence counsel. Katia, a French tourist,
was allegedly molested and kidnapped on August 31, 1994,
by seven persons, including Gurkirat Singh, grandson of
the slain Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh at SAS Nagar. |
BBMB constructs road NANGAL, April 7 The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has constructed a 23-km-long road from Nangal to Ganguwal along the Nangal hydel canal. The road has been constructed for the safe passage of VIPs during the tercentenary celebrations. Approximately Rs 95 lakh were spent on its construction which was completed in five months, he added. The BBMB has made special arrangements for visitors coming to Bhakra during the celebrations. The visiting hours and
the canteen timings at the top of the dam are 4 pm to 7
pm. Additional public relation personnel have been
deputed at Bhakra to guide visitors. The rest houses of
the board are also being renovated. |
World Health Day celebrated LUDHIANA, April 7 The Christian Medical College branch of the Trained Nurses Association of India celebrated World Health Day here today. A symposium was organised on the occasion to focus on the problems of old people in India. Mrs A.K. Ahluwalia gave the presidential address and laid emphasis on adopting techniques of affluent countries to make nursing more significant for the sick. The District Health
Department organised a programme at the Government
Industrial Training Institute under the presidentship of
the Assistant Civil Surgeon, Dr Darshna Singla. |
CM inaugurates hospital ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 7 The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today inaugurated a 100-bedded Civil Hospital here. The hospital has been constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Talking to reporters, Mr Badal said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would inaugurate the tercentenary celebrations tomorrow. Mr L.K. Advani, Home Minister, would attend the function. He said, no VIP would sit on the stage as it was a religious function and "we want to maintain its sanctity". Mr Badal also said
people from other religions were also celebrating the
occasion. He said a member of the VHP would scale Mount
Everest to hoist the Khalsa flag there to mark the
tercentenary. |
Kisan Mela on April 18 PATIALA, April 7 A Kisan Mela will be held at Rakhra, 15 km from here, on April 18, under the aegis of the Punjab Young Farmers Association. Foundation seeds of the highest yielding Pusa-44 variety of paddy and Pusa-Basmati 1 of Basmati will be distributed among the members. Farmers will have an opportunity of evaluating the performance of new varieties of wheat like HD 2687 at the demonstration plots laid out on the campus. The festival will be
inaugurated by Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Agriculture
Minister, and presided over by the Financial Commissioner
(Development), Mr R.N. Gupta, Dr Mewa Singh Sonar,
Director, Agriculture, will deliver the key-note address. |
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