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Contact must extend beyond bus: Badal
WAGAH (Amritsar), Feb 21 — The Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, returned home today afternoon after an overnight "sentimental stay" in Lahore. He had accompanied the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to Lahore on Saturday.

Tohra denies backing militants
CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — Beleaguered President of the SGPC, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has strongly defended peace and amity in Punjab.


Punjab state map

‘Save SAD’ conference rejects Puran Singh
TARN TARAN, Feb 21 — The "Save Shiromani Akali Dal" conference convened by Mr Prem Singh Lalpura here today.
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4 cr price on my head: Badal
JAITU, Feb 21 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said today that forces inimical to peace in the state were trying hard to kill him and these forces had offered Rs 4 crore as a price on his head to his killer.

Kanwaljit hints at action against Tohra
PATIALA, Feb 21 — Disciplinary action would be taken against any member or leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal who will criticise the policies of the Punjab Government while remaining in office.

Health staff ill on WB water potion
PATIALA, Feb 21 — Employees of the state Public Health Department are agitated at the proposed move to hand over charge of various rural divisions of the department to panchayats.

Credit sale banned at tourist complex
ROPAR, Feb 21 — It seems that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will have to intervene in the administrative affairs of a small unit of the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation, Pinkcassia Tourist Complex here.

House tax blues
NAWANSHAHR: The Municipal Council here has not only been levying house tax on its own properties but also increasing it over the years.

Amarinder for amicable settlement
CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — Mr Amarinder Singh, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress, has criticised the strong-arm tactics of the government in dealing with the agitation of rice millers and urged for a negotiated settlement of their demands.

   
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Contact must extend beyond bus: Badal
From P.P.S. Gill
Tribune News Service

WAGAH (Amritsar), Feb 21 — The Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, returned home today afternoon after an overnight "sentimental stay" in Lahore.

He had accompanied the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to Lahore on Saturday.

A small group of Akali workers and senior BSF and police officers received him at the border checkpost.

Mr Parkash Singh described his short visit as very "khushgawar" as it revived many nostalgic memories of Lahore the nucleus of politics in the pre-partition days.

At a breakfast meeting with Mr Shahbaz Sharif (younger brother of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif and west Punjab CM) he raised issues relevant to both states including trade ties, and exchanges of cultural troupes and farmers.

Mr Shahbaz Sharif, he said, was keen to exchange farmers' groups as well as agricultural scientists." The land is equally fertile in the two Punjabs but Indian Punjab is far ahead in agriculture, productivity and adoption of new technology. By exchanging visits among tillers and scientists social ties will also strengthen. It is like finding roots", he told Mr Badal.

The Prime Minister he said had held talks with his counterpart on issues pertaining to the maintenance and upkeep of the Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. With Sikhs in the midst of celebrating the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa in April next, Mr Parkash Singh said Mr Shahbaz Sharif had assured him of "full cooperation" in whatever manner possible for facilitating participation in the event.

"We are keen that a Khalsa march be organised from the birthplace of one of the first panj pyaras — Bhai Daya Singh of Lahore. Let some pilgrims go there and return with a combined jatha", he added.

Mr Parkash Singh has extended an invitation to both the Pakistani PM and Mr Shahbaz, to visit India, particularly Punjab. "The normal process of routing the same through diplomatic channels will be adhered to", he said.

Asked how he felt about his overnight visit to Lahore he said, "such visits have their own sentimental and emotional value and moments. When we were taken to the samadh of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or the gurdwara of Guru Arjan Dev, where he was tortured to death or to the place of Ilama Iqbal, the poet, naturally some of the incidents of yesteryear made us feel nostalgic."Top


 

Tohra denies backing militants
By Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — Beleaguered President of the SGPC, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has strongly defended peace and amity in Punjab.

"The first bullet if any extremist dares to fire in Punjab shall pierce through my chest. I will be the first to offer my life to defend the hard-won peace and brotherhood in Punjab," Mr Tohra said in an interview.

He was answering a question about the alleged criticism that he was siding with the militant politics and encouraging the trend by opposing the Akali Dal President and Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

Mr Tohra's response was very emotional. He said: "It is a calculated mischief and canard being spread around by interested quarters. A section of the media too was playing this up. What is the truth? Where have I said anything that should be construed as an aid to extremist politics in Punjab." Defending Sikh traditions and institutions should not be seen as propagating extremism or violence."

Mr Tohra had a dig at Mr Kushwant Singh, who had described him an "extremist politician". He found no substance in that and suggested that the great writer too has his own political ambitions.

Mr Tohra who had a dig at Mr Badal during an hour-long interview and said: "We shall not allow Mr Badal and his friends to cover up their non-performance and misdeeds under this cloak of calling us extremists or instigators of violence. This would not be permitted at all. Mr Badal and others cannot take shelter under this, and hide their own acts of commission omission . How could they do that?" "Governments often resorted to this method to hide their own failures, but the vigilant people of Punjab would not permit this. Some are being termed as moderates and others as extremists as this game helped certain people to remain in power without fulfilling the promises. Suppose I asked Mr Badal to do something concrete for those who have suffered during the years of violence, the parents who have lost their young ones. This would be termed as extremists politics. But has the Akali Dal in its manifestos and during the poll campaign not repeatedly promised this. What happened to the promise to constitute a commission to go into the long night of violence?", he asked. But when told that he too was party to the Lok Sabha manifesto that did not mention this promise which was part of the earlier Vidhan Sabha election manifesto, Mr Tohra admitted and owned his mistake.Top


 

‘Save SAD’ conference rejects Puran Singh
From Our Correspondent

TARN TARAN, Feb 21 — The "Save Shiromani Akali Dal" conference convened by Mr Prem Singh Lalpura here today passed a resolution rejecting the appointment of Giani Puran Singh as the Jathedar of Akal Takht.

The resolution said the Sikhs still recognised Bhai Ranjit Singh as the "real" Jathedar. Through another resolution, the conference vowed to adopt the "Panthic agenda" and reminded the Parkash Singh Badal government of pending issues which included the disputed river water distribution, territory left outside Punjab and the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. It said the state must appoint a commission of enquiry to go into the causes of militancy.

A third resolution condemned the state government for "rampant corruption and nepotism" and for trying to usurp the functioning of the religious institutions through its psychophants.

It asked the people not to "forget and forgive" the Congress which was held responsible for all atrocities perpetrated on Punjab and its people.

The conference wanted the government to take up the case of unidentified youths and publish a White Paper on that. It also wanted the tercentenary celebrations to be headed by Bhai Ranjit Singh.

The conference was largely attended, and among the key speakers was the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, Mr Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal, Mr Manjit and Mr Harminder Singh Gill besides them Justice A.S. Bains (retd) and Mr Sucha Singh Chottepur, a former MP and Mr Major Singh Uboke also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Tohra in his speech said by raising the issue of terrorism being revived the Chief Minister was unnecessarily terrorising the people and creating a fear psychosis. The only aim he (Mr Parkash Singh Badal) had was to have a "family" rule and a control over all religious and political organisations and institutions.

How the SAD was "saved" today is anyone's guess. One common refrain of the speakers was that they were sceptical of Tohra's next move, and despite their repeated hints and provocation they failed to elicit any concrete proposals from him as to what he was intending to achieve or do next.Top


 

4 cr price on my head: Badal
Tribune News Service

JAITU, Feb 21 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said today that forces inimical to peace in the state were trying hard to kill him and these forces had offered Rs 4 crore as a price on his head to his killer.

Addressing a function organised here in connection with the platinum jubilee of the martyrs of the Akali Morcha, Mr Badal said he was not afraid of the threat being held out to him by anti-national forces. "I am ready to make any sacrifice for the Sikh community, Punjab and the country", he added.

Without naming anyone, he pointed out that certain forces were trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab. He added that the Punjab Government was fully prepared to face all odds.

The Chief Minister said Punjab at present was facing a very sensitive situation and it was for the people to choose the right path. He added that some people were trying to lower the image of Sikh throughout the world. "I have never gone astray in my life. I never tried to disturb the peace. I have always worked for the glorification of the Punjabis", he added.

Mr Badal warned if the people stood by those forces, which were trying to foment trouble, they would face the same situation which was prevailing during the days of terrorism.

He appealed to the people not to forgive those politicians who engineered the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 in different parts of the country and were instrumental in the Army operation at the Golden Temple (Operation Blue- star).

He urged the people to make elaborate arrangements for the "Sarbat da Bhala Chardikalan march" which will proceed from Takht Damdama Sahib on February 26.

Lashing out at the successive Congress governments at the Centre and in Punjab, Mr Badal alleged that these governments had deprived the state of its capital, Punjabi speaking areas and a fair share of river water.

He honoured Uggar Singh of Faridkot district and Babu Singh of Bathinda district, who participated in the Akali Morcha here in 1923, with a memento and shawl.

He announced that a 100-bed hospital, a stadium, and a park in the memory of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru would be built in this historical town. He added that the town would also be given a facelift according to its status in the Indian and the Akali history.

Later talking to mediapersons, Mr Badal said the Pakistan Government had agreed in principle to give relics relating to Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the state government for displaying these at Anandpur Sahib for the public on the tercentenary occasion of the birth of the Khalsa on April 13, 1999.

He added that the government would continue its talks with the Pakistan Government on other issues, including the handing over of the gurdwaras. to the SGPC for their up- keep and the permission to the members of Daya Singh family (one of the Panj Piaras created by Guru Gobind Singh) to visit India on the tercentenary occasion.

Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Agriculture Minister, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan Public Relations Minister, Mr Mansa Ram, President, Punjab Freedom Fighters Committee and Mr Manmohan Singh Brar, Chairman, Sikh Judicial Commission were also present.Top


 

Kanwaljit hints at action against Tohra
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, Feb 21 — Disciplinary action would be taken against any member or leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) who will criticise the policies of the Punjab Government while remaining in office.

Stating this here today after inaugurating a free eye check-up and operation camp organised by the local Lions Club (Fort) at Seel village in Rajpura subdivision here today, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, said it was unfortunte that certain Akali leaders were making a dig at the policies of the SAD-BJP government without admitting that they too were part and parcel of these policies.

Without mentioning the name of Mr G.S. Tohra, who recently criticised the policies of the Badal government, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said anyone who had separated himself from the SAD had never achieved support of people and passed into oblivion.

He however declined to reveal the time frame in which the disciplinary action would be taken against persons criticising the government. He also declined to reveal the nature of the action.

When pinpointed by mediapersons about his reaction to the press statement by Mr Tohra, in which he flayed the Badal camp and the Finance Minister for the alleged failure of policies and the weak fiscal condition of the state, he said Mr Tohra and the five ministers, who later resigned, did held key positions in the government and were party to all decisions. He termed it strange that how Mr Tohra and his supporters who not only praised the SAD-BJP government's policies but also took credit for them, had now begun finding faults in these very policies.

When asked about the move to oust Mr Tohra from the post of the SGPC President, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said this was an internal matter of the SGPC and the SAD would not interfere in it. However, he added that majority of the executive members of the SGPC had already sought the removal of the SGPC President.

The Finance Minister said the SAD-BJP government had fulfilled all promises made to the masses and any allegation of its non-performance was baseless. Referring to the ongoing strike by teachers and employees of the government-aided schools he said the state government was taking a sympathetic view towards the problems of these employees and talks were on with the Chief Minister for a suitable solution.

In an unrelated issue, Capt Kanwaljit Singh admitted that the problem of funds was affecting the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDM). He said it was true that the Centre had not released the payment of the salaries and other expenditures for the 52 centres of the ICDM in the state and it was the state government which was bearing its expenses.Top


 

Health staff ill on WB water potion
From Jupinderjit Singh

PATIALA, Feb 21 — Employees of the state Public Health Department are agitated at the proposed move to hand over charge of various rural divisions of the department to panchayats.

According to highly placed sources, handing over charge maintenance of rural drinking water supply is on the anvil and has been extensively discussed and approved at the secretary level. The Punjab Government is keen on the involvement of panchayats which was also one of the main conditions laid down by the World Bank for financing Rs 1,700-crore rural drinking water projects in the state.

The sources said though the government would get a grant to construct water tanks and lay down water pipes in 10 divisions of the department covering roughly 3,000 villages it would not be able to maintain the projects due to serious financial constraints as a fallout neither would the staff get salaries, nor repair work be undertaken, the sources said.

As this proposed move has leaked down to the district and rural divisions of the department it has panicked employees many of whom have had a taste of things to come. They have not received their salary for the past two months.

Airing the apprehension of the employees, Mr Manjit Singh Panjoli, spokesperson of the Punjab State Karamchari Dal, said here today that the employees opposed the proposed move on the grounds that panchayats who themselves depended on financial aid from the government would neither be able to pay salaries regularly nor ensure proper maintenance of drinking water projects. Other apprehensions are about the fate of employees already working in villages where the government proposes to involve panchayats who would recruit their own men. Would the existing staff be retrenched or adjusted elsewhere he asked.

According to Mr Panjoli the karamchari dal has decided to launch an agitation if the government goes ahead with its proposal. A state-level meeting of the dal also demanded the government first release the salaries of all employees and regularise the work charge staff before embarking on the project.

When contacted, Raja Narinder Singh, Minister for Public Health, termed the fear of the employees as unfounded. He said no employee would be retrenched or victimised. Instead the plan would go a long way in ensuring round-the -clock drinking water supply. Under the proposal while the department would construct the water tank and lay down pipes, the panchayat would be responsible for subsequent upkeep and would recruit its own men, preferably from the same village. They would be paid by the panchayat. This will also ensure their round-the-clock-presence.

Interestingly while the government is discussing the modalities of the project few panchayats have themselves come forward to adopt the scheme.

Responding to this apparent lack of enthusiasm Raja Narinder Singh said there was a good response from villages in the Malwa and Doaba region although in the Majha region it was lukewarm. The prima-facie reason for this according to him was that panchayats in Malwa and Doaba were financially stronger than those in other regions.Top


 

Credit sale banned at tourist complex
Tribune News Service

ROPAR, Feb 21 — It seems that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will have to intervene in the administrative affairs of a small unit of the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation, Pinkcassia Tourist Complex here, popularly known as Boat Club, as the authorities concerned have "failed" in dealing with matters like credit sale.

A credit sale of over Rs 2 lakh is reportedly pending against various parties and officers. In some cases, the credit sale has been pending since 1982 because of the transfer of officers or on some other pretext.

Sources say the authorities of the corporation brought the matter to the notice of the Chief Minister, who subsequently issued an order in this regard.

The order of the Chief Minister has recently been conveyed to the management of the tourist complex here by Ms Vini Mahajan, Managing Director, Punjab Tourism Development Corporation. In the communique, she mentioned that the Chief Minister's order credit sale should be allowed at Pinkcassia Tourist Complex. In future the complex should have only cash sale. The outstanding amount against various parties and officials be realised within 30 days and the status of the credit sale be intimated to the head office.

A copy of this letter has also been sent to the Principal Secretary, Government of Punjab, Department of Tourism.Top


 

House tax blues
From Parmod Bharti

NAWANSHAHR: The Municipal Council here has not only been levying house tax on its own properties but also increasing it over the years.

The council levied house tax of Rs 56979 on its own properties in 1993 and it rose to Rs 3,84,028 in 1994 and Rs 4,34,028 in 1997. However house tax on other properties except those of government departments. At present the council earns Rs 25 lakh per annum from house tax.

Mr Ravinder Nath, house tax clerk, when contacted said the council started levying tax on its own properties in 1980. In 1994, when the Municipal Act was amended a survey was conducted and house tax notices were prepared, but those could not be served following an interjection of the then Agriculture Minister, the late Dilbagh Singh. At that time, the then Executive Officer raised the tax on its own properties and served notices on government departments only. Regarding the allegation of bogus notices and tax settlements outside the council, he said that sometimes notices were not entered in the registers and house tax was collected through compromise to avoid litigation.

Mr Chamkaur Singh Kauri, president of the council, said house tax had neither increased nor decreased since his assuming charge. As far as house tax on private properties was concerned notices as per new rates were being served. House tax was being realised by arriving at a settlement with parties concerned.

Mr Kamal Kant Barthwal, President, Nagrik Hitkarini Sabha, has urged the authorities to conduct a high-level inquiry into the matter to find out why the local municipal authorities had been assigning the job of house tax collection to the same clerk for more than a decade.

Besides, he urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to constitute a committee to find out whether the municipal councils were making a proper use of their revenue. Top


 

Amarinder for amicable settlement
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — Mr Amarinder Singh, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress, has criticised the strong-arm tactics of the government in dealing with the agitation of rice millers and urged for a negotiated settlement of their demands.

The Punjab Congress president in a statement here today said that the indefinite strike by the rice millers of the state numbering more than 2500 was doing damage on different fronts. The deadlock in this matter has blocked a huge stock of the procured paddy, resulting in a big chunk of RBI loan not been utilised for procurement. Mr Amarinder Singh said that the paddy had started rotting and would become unfit for human consumption if not shelled in time.

The strike of the rice shellers has resulted in unemployment of a large number of labourers and this has resulted in discontentment in the labour class, ultimately affecting the state's economy, he added.

Non shelling of the old stock would cause problem for the new paddy crop and farmers would face further hardships.

Mr Amarinder Singh condemned the attitude of the Punjab Government towards the striking millers by lathi charging their procession at Kharar, and arresting a number of them.

He alleged that the wrong policies of the state and the Central governments had ruined the rice industry in Punjab. He demanded an early amicable solution before the situation going out of hands. He also urged the Centre to take a tangible decision on the report of the Central team that studied the loss to the paddy crop in Punjab in the last season.Top


 

Five arrested for murder
Tribune News Service

ROPAR, Feb 21 — The local police has arrested five persons for allegedly committing a murder and forcibly taking away a van and three persons for allegedly committing thefts in the town in the recent past.

The Anandpur Sahib police has also arrested two persons for cheating people and the Sohana police arrested two persons for allgedly selling drugs.

Mr Jaskaran Singh, SSP, said here today that the police had arrested Dalbir Singh, Ashok Kumar, Anil Kumar, Ajay Kumar and Sanjay Kumar for murdering Jaspal Singh Pali, of Dugri in Ludhiana district. He said the accused hired a van from a taxi stand at Sahnewal on February 1. The driver Jaspal Singh, who was also the owner of the van, was murdered by them and the van taken away. The body of Jaspal Singh was found on February 2 from the Bhakra main line near Bheora village, 5 km from here. All accused were residents of Anandpur Colony at Sahnewal, he added.

The SSP said the local police had arrested Joginder Pal, Avtar, alias Tinko, and Sunil Kumar, alias Minto, all local residents, for committing thefts in the town. He said the accused had confessed to having been involved in two thefts. The police also recovered some articles from them, while a team was being sent to Delhi for further search operations.

He added that the Sohana police had arrested Jaswinder Singh of Naddiali village (Sohana) and Rakesh Kumar Gulati of Panchkula for selling drugs. He said huge quantities of drugs were recovered from them.

The SSP said the Anandpur Sahib police had arrested Karnail Singh of Hadana village (Patiala) and Jaspal Singh of Malikpur village (Patiala) under Section 420 of the IPC for carrying fake currency worth Rs 5 lakh.Top


 

SAD (A) rules out pact with Tohra
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, Feb 21 — The SAD (A) in a major political decision taken at a meeting held at Kila Harnam Dass here today stated that the party would neither form any alliance with Mr G.S.Tohra nor allow him to join the party.

In a press note by Mr Iqbal Tiwana, official spokesman of the party, said Mr Tohra should have resigned from the Rajya Sabha and set an example instead of "clinging" on to the post.

He claimed that the people of the state wanted to see Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, who sacrificed his post in the Punjab police for the Sikh cause, as the Chief Minister.

In another important resolution, the party said it held Bhai Ranjit Singh in high esteem and appreciated his stand, but at the same time it had great regard for Bhai Puran Singh, who did his duty during Operation Bluestar, regardless of danger to his life, and appealed to him not to accept the post of the jathedar of Akal Takht.

The party also expressed its commitment to fight for the cause of the minorities.Top


 

Govt claim false, says union
From Our Correspondent

GURDASPUR, Feb 21 — Mr S.S. Jaspal, president, Punjab Pensioners and Employees Welfare Union, after a meeting of the executive of the union here today told newspersons that the claims of the Punjab Government had at no time decided or ordered to stop salaries and pensions was false.

He said the payment of pensions had been stopped for several days and could be verified from the district treasury officers in the state.

Meanwhile, bills amounting to Rs 10 crore are pending for clearance in the district treasury office here. The worst-affected are beneficiaries covered under social welfare and social security schemes. The beneficiaries had not been paid any amount since November. A bill to the tune of more than Rs 2.25 crore regarding the payment to the beneficiaries under the old-age pension scheme was lying pending.

According to official sources, funds received by the district for various development schemes sponsored by the Centre, are not being cleared by the district treasury office and are likely to lapse due to the non-utilisation before March 31.

Development work has come to a standstill due to lack of clearance of funds amounting to more than Rs 7 crore by the treasury office.Top


 

DCC workers' dharna on Feb 23
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, Feb 21 — The District Congress Committee (DCC) workers will stage a dharna in front of the office office of the Municipal Corporation on February 23 to protest against the "anti-people" policies and "high-handed" of the corporation authorities.

Mr Ved Parkash Gupta, President, DCC (urban), and Mr Sanjeev Sharma President, District Youth Congress Committee in joint statement issued here today in which Mahila Congress and Seva Dal volunteers would also actively participate, was being organised to protest against the imposition of new taxes on the people.

The statement condemned the corporation for taking certain arbitrary decisions like increase in the fee being charged for clearing "maps of the houses" from Rs 20 to Rs 2,500, increase in licence fee for opening a trade centre in the city, heavy development charges and forcible removal of the rehris and other vendors.Top


 

Punjab education commission set up
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, Feb 21 — Educationist, intellectuals, writers and economists today came together to form the Punjab People's Education Commission, a body which will research, analyse and suggest remedies for the ills affecting the education system in the state.

After a day-long convention of the commission in the seminar hall of the Language Department here held under the presidentship of Dr SS Johal, a former Vice-Chancellor, the members resolved to form an ad hoc committee of educationists to prepare a report about the area of operation and other modalities of the commission.

Earlier, Dr Johal, addressing the gathering, said there was an urgent need to restructure the education system. A non-political body like the commission would contribute a lot in achieving the desired results.

Dr TR Sharma said there was stagnation in the field of education and the government was not serious in bringing about changes. Educational institutions lacked funds and the government had lowered the expenses on education.

Dr Sucha Singh Gill said without proper education facilities no state could dream of development.

Mr Kuldip Singh, secretary of the commission, said the body would also take up problems faced by students, including incorrect evaluation.Top


 

SAD to raise prices issue in Parliament
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, Feb 21 — Instead of adopting the path of confrontation like Mr Om Parkash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal SAD MPs will raise the demands of Punjab with the Centre.

Stating this in a press conference at his residence here today, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, Member of Parliament and former general secretary Shiromani Akali Dal said being an important ally of the BJP, the SAD will not take the extreme step of withdrawing support but would press the union government to roll back of the recent price hike.Top


 

CBI chargesheets 25 policemen

PATIALA, Feb 21 (PTI) — The CBI yesterday chargesheeted 25 policemen in a court of Special CBI Magistrate A.M.S. Virk here in the 1991 Jalandhar bomb blast case.

The court issued non-bailable warrants against the chargesheeted cops directing that they should be produced in the court on March 16.

Three constables were shown killed in fake encounter in the case.Top


 

40 injured in roof collapse
From Our Correspondent

PHILLAUR, Feb 21 — More than 40 persons participating in a "shagan" ceremony sustained injuries when a roof of a house collapsed at Noormahal yesterday.

DIG Baljinder Singh Maan (retd) was among the injured who have been admitted to hospital.Top


 

Chemists seek uniform rates of medicines
From Our Correspondent

JALANDHAR, Feb 21 — The Punjab Chemists Association had a statewide deliberation and all chemists leaders, district presidents, and general secretaries from all districts of the state took part in a discussion regarding the difficulties being faced by chemists here today.

Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, was the chief guest.

Talking to mediapersons PCA president RD Gupta and general secretary Darshan Singh said the chemists urged the Health Minister to ask the Union Minister for Fertiliser and Chemicals, Mr Surjeet Singh Barnala, and the Union Government to implement uniform rates of medicines in the country (VCP).

The PCA president said at present there were only five inspectors against 17 required.

They urged the state Drugs Controller to issue certificates to competent chemists for wholesale licences.

They proposed to the Health Minister to constitute drugs advisory committees at state and district levels.Top


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