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Jor Mela
CM makes development a poll plank
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 25
Seeking votes from the people in the forthcoming elections on the basis of development of the state during his tenure, the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, said today with their initiative the World Bank had sanctioned Rs 5,000 crore loan.

Rajinder Kaur Bhattal gets up with some help from Capt Amarinder Singh at the Congress gathering.

Rs 2000 crore for sanitation, water in rural areas: Amarinder

Badal for CBI probe into RDX seizure
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 25
Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today demanded a CBI inquiry into the case of recovery of RDX by the Jalandhar police from a car.


SAMBHAL KE: Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Kanwaljit Singh gesture at the Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib on Monday.  — Tribune photos by Vinay Malik

Plot to destabilise peace: Sukhbir

Mann urges poll panel to ensure fair elections
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 25
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the SAD (A), while addressing a massive joint political conference of the SAD (A), SAD (L) and other Panthic forces here today said that now the two-party rule in the states was going to end a new era of coalition governments on the pattern of the Union governments and this was going to happen in Punjab during the coming Assembly elections.

Dharna by farmers to stall rail link to Fazilka
Abohar, December 25
Farmers led by Mr Gurmail Singh district secretary Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) today stalled construction of Rail link between Abohar and Fazilka at Burjmuhar village near here. Contractors withdrew labour engaged for earthwork.

Pathankot man to ski on South Pole
Pathankot December 25
Ajeet Bajaj, a Pathankot resident who made the country proud by becoming the first Indian to ski on the North Pole in April this year, has now left for the South Pole. According to Mr Jai Dev Bajaj, Ajeet’s father, their son left for the South Pole from Delhi today. He would ski on the South Pole along with the other expedition members. His entire family at Pathankot wished him luck for the expedition. About a month ago, Ajeet stayed in the city making preparations for the expedition.

Ajeet Bajaj on a rafting expedition in the Sutlej.

POLITICS

Dhillon kicks off campaign from Banur
Dera Bassi, December 25
Virtually kicking off the election campaign of the Congress from the Banur Assembly segment, Mr Deepinder Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chairman of the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation, today blasted the SAD leaders' statement on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 's recent visit to the state.

The PSIDC Vice-Chairman, Mr Deepinder Dhillon (centre), hands over a cheque of development grant to a village representative in Saidpura village on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

CPI, CPM to field Asal from Amritsar West
Amritsar, December 25
The Punjab units of the CPI, the CPM and the Lok Bhalai Party which had forged a ‘united front’ to contest jointly forthcoming Assembly elections in Punjab today announced to contend for 60 seats.

CPI to prevent Cong’s return to power
Sangrur, December 25
“We will try to prevent the Congress from returning to power in the ensuing Assembly elections as the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, was of the view that the Congress had made a blunder by leaving a few seats for the CPI in the February 2002 Assembly elections. So the party will give a befitting reply to the Chief Minister this time”.

COMMUNITY

Celebrating Christmas with poor children
Banur, December 25
Students and staff of Swami Vivekanand Institutes of Engineering and Technology celebrated Christmas in the company of the underprivileged children of their adopted Ramnagar village, near Banur, at the school here today. Mr Manmohan Garg, CEO, SVGOI, was the chief guest.

Fire breaks out at illegal paint factory
Bathinda, December 25
A major tragedy was averted when fire broke out in a paint factory located on the street No.4 of Baba Farid Nagar here today afternoon. Army as well as municipal corporation’s fire tenders reached the spot and doused the fire. Sources said, had fire tenders not reached the spot on time it could have led to a major loss as the cantonment area and MES quarters were in its vicinity.

Suicide bid by jail inmate
Gurdaspur, December 25
Shanker, a resident of Pathankot, who is facing trial in a murder case today tried to end his life by consuming phenyl in the Gurdaspur Central Jail.

ADMINISTRATION

Pandey promoted as ADGP
Chandigarh, December 25
Top-strong Punjab Police got heavier today with the promotion of four IPS officers.

CRIME

Man booked for fraud
Bathinda, December 25
The police has registered a case of fraud against one Amritpal Singh Brar for allegedly duping a Faridkot resident of Rs 50,000 on the pretext of getting him a job in the Police Department.

EDUCATION

Caste, not merit, will get you job
Hoshiarpur, December 25
Baljit Singh, a resident of Dasuya, had applied for a post of a teacher with C-DAC, an agency hired by the Punjab Government under the Scheduled Castes, ex-servicemen dependents category. His number was on top of the merit list with 57.88 per cent marks.

Teachers of aided schools call off strike
Chandigarh, December 25
The Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union today decided to call off its indefinite strike as the state government had accepted its demand for pensionary benefits.

NSS camp at Govt College
Bathinda, December 25
A 10-day NSS camp began at Government Rajindra College here. About 200 volunteers were taking part in the camp that would conclude on January 2. The Principal, Ms Gyan Kaur, inaugurated the camp.