It’s advantage govt as Oppn stays away from House
Chandigarh, September 18
The controversial report of the Lokpal indicting four Punjab ministers of the Beant Singh government (between 1992 and 1995) following complaints from the public, is slated for discussion in the Vidhan Sabha tomorrow. And the discussion will take place in the absence of the Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), whose all MLAs stand suspended from the House session.

Leaders trade charges at ‘Gurgaddi Divas’ Khadoor Sahib, September 18 Religious festivities took a back seat on 'Gurgaddi Divas' of the second Sikh master Guru Angad Dev and the occasion was utilised by conducting virtual election rallies by the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), SAD (A) and CPI here today. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president, SAD, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, senior Akali leader, and Navjot Singh Sidhu at a rally at Khadoor Sahib in Taran Taran on Monday. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

PM to share concern with Chief Ministers
Chandigarh, September 18
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will share his concerns on important issues such as power, shortage of food grain, rising prices, growing unemployment, poor infrastructure in rural areas in states and falling standard of education with the Chief Ministers of 11 states here on September 28.

NRI society to honour Darshan Grewal Chandigarh, September 18 The NRI Welfare Society of India will honour Mr Darshan Singh Grewal, a former Mayor of London Borough of Hounslow, with the “Hind Rattan Award” on the eve of the Republic Day function at the 26th International Congress of the NRIs in 2007.                                                    Mr Darshan Singh Grewal

Conmen dupe companies of Rs 5.20 crore
Gurdaspur, September 18
The Gurdaspur police has managed to bust a gang of crooks that duped various companies of the region by issuing bogus cheques to the tune of Rs 5.20 crore.

Miscreants throw acid on family watching TV
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 18
In a shocking incident last night at a posh locality Cheema colony in Bassi Pathana town of this district, unidentified assailants threw acid on a family, while they were watching television in the lobby of their house.

COMMUNITY

BJP leaders flay Centre over internal security
Pathankot, September 18
Senior BJP leaders, including Mr Vijay Goel, general secretary, Mr Vinod Khanna, local MP, Mr Harjeet Singh Grewal, secretary, and Mr Dharminder Pradhan, national president of the Yuva Morcha, in joint press conference held here today blamed the UPA Government for "deteriorating" internal security in the country

CM irons out differences between Mayor, Commissioner
Patiala, September 18
After getting reports of development taking backstage in his home town due to the ongoing tussle between the Mayor and the Commissioner of the local Municipal Corporation, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today stepped in to put the functioning of the MC back on track.

Pathankot boy aims to conquer South Pole
Gurdaspur, September 18
Ajeet Bajaj, who made the country proud by becoming the first Indian to ski to the North Pole in April this year, is now planning to conquer the South Pole.

Justice Pandit dead
Chandigarh, September 18
A former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge, Justice P.C. Pandit (retd), passed away this evening.

Body donated for research
Barnala, September 18
Respecting the last desire of Brij Lal (90), who breathed his last today morning, his family donated his body to Dayanand Medical College (DMC), Ludhiana, for research purposes.

Doctors scared to accept eye  donations for  fear of police
Patiala, September 18
Dr D.C. Bansal, secretary, Punjab State Eye Donation Society, today said the movement of eye donation in Punjab had been affected adversely because of attitude of the police and higher authorities.

Improvement Trust Chairman dead
Sangrur, September 18
Amandeep Singh Mansahia, alias Dicky Mansahia (37), Chairman of the Sangrur Improvement Trust, died at the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, past night. He had been suffering from jaundice for the past about three months. He was the son of late Surjit Singh Mansahia, a renowned sports personality and vice-president of the All-India Amateur Boxing Federation. He is survived by his wife Shavinder Kaur (35) and a son, Paslovjot Singh Mansahia (15).

Knowledge city should be in Amritsar: manch
Amritsar, September 18
The Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) yesterday took exception to the decision of the Punjab Government to set up a knowledge city in Mohali. The manch said it should be established in Amritsar.

Lambardars demand honorarium
Sangrur, September 18
A large number of lambardars, led by Mr Harminder Singh Chhajli, state president of the Punjab Lambardara Union, today staged a rally in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in protest against the delay in the grant of honorarium of Rs 500 per month to them by the government.

Dispute between truckers, Ambuja plant resolved
Ropar, September 18
The dispute between truck operators and Ambuja Cement plant, which had been hanging fire for the past six months, was finally resolved today.

Assn of handicapped stages dharna
Patiala, September 18
Hundreds of activists of the Physically Handicapped Association, Punjab, today staged a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner to lodge their protest against the non-acceptance of their demands by the authorities concerned.

Overuse of fertilisers pollutes groundwater
Gurdaspur September 18
Overuse of nitrogenous fertilisers has polluted the ground water in Fatehgarh Churian and Dera Baba Nanak areas of Gurdaspur exposing people to carcinogenic pollutants.

ADMINISTRATION

Five IAS officers promoted
Chandigarh, September 18
The Punjab Government today promoted five IAS officers to the rank of Principal Secretary.

Govt not to force deputation on IPS officers
Chandigarh, September 18
Punjab will take the consent of its IPS officers before sending anyone on deputation to the Central Government. Informed sources said the Home Department had initiated the process and it had been decided to seek consent from the IPS officers and not just send a list of officers to be shifted to New Delhi.

CRIME

Mother, son arrested in murder case
Amritsar, September 18
Cracking a blind murder case of Gurmeet Kaur (42), a resident of Jandiala Guru, which took place on the night of August 24, the Majitha police has arrested two persons, Surjit Kaur, who is sister-in-law of the deceased, and her son Navjot Singh. Sukhwant Singh, husband of Gurmeet Kaur, was seriously injured in the incident.

Health Inspector held on graft charge
Sangrur, September 18
A team of the Vigilance Bureau, led by Mr Roop Singh, DSP, Sangrur, today caught red-handed Madan Lal, health inspector, Kohrian village, when he was accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from Mr Harbans Lal, a resident of Jakhepal village (Sunam). Madan Lal was caught at Kohrian village.

405 kg of poppy husk seized
Abohar, September 18
The police today seized 405 kg of poppy husk in two operations, said Mr Arpit Shukla, Senior Superintendent of Police, here.

EDUCATION

BCI go-ahead to law college
Chandigarh, September 18
The newly-established law college at Sidhwan Khurd, near Ludhiana, Guru Hargobind Institute of Law for Women, has finally been approved by the Bar Council of India. This follows a visit by a BCI team which inspected the newly constructed building and facilities being offered on the campus. Following the BCI approval, teaching work has started at the law institute. Earlier, the women's law institute was granted provisional affiliation by Panjab University, Chandigarh, for running law courses following recommendation by the university's inspection team which visited the campus.

Music students can appear in practical exams
Chandigarh, September 18
The Panjab University’s undergraduate and postgraduate candidates, who had appeared in Music (theory) examinations in April, 2006 but whose practical examinations were yet to be conducted (in vocal, instrumental, tabla and dance), have been allowed to appear in the practical examinations.

College teachers seek raise in retirement age
Patiala, September 18
The Punjab Government Teachers Association today urged the Punjab Government to raise the retirement age of government college teachers from 58 years to 60 years.

BUSINESS

SBoP staff hold protest
Patiala, September 18
A large number of employees of the State Bank of Patiala (SBoP) observed All-India Demands Day on the call given by the All-India State Bank of Patiala Employees Federation here today.