CM seeks gurdwara land papers
Amritsar, November 21
The controversy over the Santokhsar Gurdwara land took a new turn as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought the file on the gurdwara land where the SGPC is making some construction.

NCM notice to Punjab on police entry
New Delhi, November 21
The National Commission for Minorities has faxed a notice to the Punjab Chief Secretary to explain the state government’s stand on sending the police to the Golden Temple complex in the run-up to the recent SGPC presidential election.

Blockade on NH-1 lifted
Pathankot, November 21
The Jalandhar-Jammu bypass (NH-1) near Amar Nath temple remained blocked today for more than three hours in protest against the registration of a criminal case against some villagers belonging to Dhira.

Truckers beat up ‘checkers’, block traffic
Rajpura, November 21
Traffic came to a halt on the GT Road, near the Patiala bypass, here today when some truck drivers severely beat up six persons for allegedly demanding money from them. The traffic remained blocked for more than an hour.

Contractor’s bail plea dismissed
Ropar, November 21
Mr L.R. Roojam, Sessions Judge, Ropar, today dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Rajinder Singh Sodhi, a labour contractor of the Ropar Thermal Plant. The bail application was filed on October 19 after the registration of a criminal case against Sodhi by the Ropar police under Sections 406 and 409 of the IPC.

Garbage collection: MC, Cantt Board divided
Ferozepore, November 21
The menace posed by the garbage in and around the city and the cantonment area appears to be heading towards serious health hazards. While the Municipal Committee and Cantonment Board recognised dumping points have turned into stinking mounds in the past couple of weeks, complaints about wanton dumping of the garbage on the roadside at prominent residential/commercial localities are also being reported.

Traders threaten stir over move on octroi
Bathinda, November 21
Traders of the city have threatened to gherao the EO of the local Municipal Council if the collection of octroi is given to private contractors.

Paria opposes move to privatise health services
Bathinda, November 21
Dr Vishvanath Paria, national general secretary, Medical Service Centre (MSC), said today that National Health Policy 2002, was a step towards the privatisation of the health services in the country.

2 rice mill owners beaten up
Mansa, November 21
Mr Raj Kumar Danewalia, president, Mansa Rice Millers Association, and Mr Sanjeev Kumar, a rice mill-owner, were severely beaten up by members of the local truck operators union here today on the premises of Dhalla Rice Mills. According to information available, some rice mill owners were getting the paddy stocks from godowns of the Food Corporation of India loaded on their own vehicles which was objected to by the representatives of the truck union.

Punjabi writers to be honoured
Amritsar, November 21
Punjabi writers will be honoured by Guru Nanak Dev University here on November 24, the 33rd foundation day of the university, a press note said here today.

Animal husbandry camp organised
Ferozepore, November 21
An Animal husbandry camp was organised at Karma village near here under the model animal wealth village scheme of the Animal Husbandry Department. Dr Subash Trehan, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, asked the farmers to make better use of various schemes introduced by the Animal Husbandry Department. He stressed upon better vaccination.

2 Sessions Judges face suspension
Chandigarh, November 21
The Punjab and Haryana High Court decided to place two District and Sessions Judges under suspension, while a decision to withdraw the judicial work from another was also taken during a full court meeting this afternoon.

4 hurt in cracker unit fire
Amritsar, November 21
A house in Anngarh area, known for its firecracker manufacturing units, caught fire after a firecracker landed in the building and ignited the firecrackers stored, injuring four workers, including a minor.

3 killed as train hits car
Moga, November 21
Three persons were killed and another seriously injured when the car, in which they were travelling to Kotkapura, was hit by Fazilka-Bathinda passenger train near Wander Jatana at an unmanned level-crossing late last night.

Venue shifted
Chandigarh, November 21
The PPCC has shifted the venue for the meeting of office-bearers to be addressed by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the party, on November 23 here.

• T.S. Tur bereaved
  

ADMINISTRATION

Sarpanch removed from post
Bathinda, November 21
The Deputy Director, Panchayat Department, has placed the Sarpanch of Kutti Kishan Pura village of this district under suspension after a report submitted by the District Development and Panchayat Officer held him guilty of misconduct.

Punjab ‘to adopt’ Maharashtra model
Chandigarh, November 21
Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Minister for Social Security and Welfare of SCs and BCs, said today that the Maharashtra model would be adopted in Punjab as far as the implementation of various welfare schemes under the special component plan was concerned.

14 officials found absent from duty
Mansa, November 21
Fourteen officials of different government departments, including Ms Baljinder Paul Kaur Brar, Naib Tehsildar, Dr Nishan Singh, Medical Officer, and Mr Sarbjit Singh, Panchayat Officer of Bhikhi village in the district, were found absent from duty during a raid conducted by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, today.

Water mission to cover 54 villages
Moga, November 21
The Rajiv Gandhi Water and Sanitation Mission, which started working in March 2000, had selected as many as 54 villages in whole of India for development in the field of this programme.

CRIME

Couple shot dead in Abohar
Abohar, November 21
Sat Pal (45) and his wife, Asha Rani, were allegedly shot dead at point-blank range by two armed persons at their residence in Sidhu Nagri here last night.

2.91 quintals of poppy husk seized
Muktsar, November 21
The police has seized 37 grams of smack, 500 grams of opium and 2.91 quintal of poppy husk in separate cases. The cases were registered recently under various Sections of the NDPS Act.

Kidnapped girl recovered
Fatehgarh Sahib, November 21
The district police claims to have recovered a girl, absconding from her house for the past one-month and arrested Baljinder Singh. The girl has been handed over to her parents, and the culprit sent to jail.

SGPC member’s 2 sons booked
Mansa, November 21
The Jorkian police in the district has registered a case against Mr Gamdur Singh Tandian and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tandian, both sons of Mr Mukhtiar Singh Tandian, district Jathedar and member, of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Mr Darshan Singh, sarpanch of Tandian village under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

EDUCATION

Teachers’ drive against education policy
Ropar, November 21
The Government Teachers Union, Punjab, will launch a campaign to educate the teachers, parents and people on the ill-effects of the new education policy, enforced by the Punjab Government. Mr Sucha Singh Khatra, general secretary of the union, said it had been decided to intensify struggle against the new education policy. He said the district working committees of the union would meet on November 30 in this regard.

School celebrates annual day
Patiala, November 21
Blossoms School celebrated its annual function here today, in which, more than 300 students of various classes participated. Students presented plays, dances and songs on the occasion.

‘Sirjana’ wins Punjabi play competition
Bathinda, November 21
As part of the Punjabi Week, being observed by the Punjab Bhasha Vibhag, a Punjabi play competition was organised at the local SSD Girls Senior Secondary School today.