Chandigarh: The court of Patiala Additional Sessions Judge H.S. Grewal pronounced the verdict in the case registered in connection with the Nabha jailbreak incident that took place in 2016.

The court convicted 22 people in the case and acquitted six others. The court has reserved its verdict on sentencing the convicts till March 23.

It may be recalled that in 2016, Palwinder Pinda along with several other gangsters, armed with weapons, attacked the high security jail in Nabha and rescued two hot-blooded leaders and four gangsters. The freed leaders included Khalistan Commando Force activists Harminder Singh Mintoo and Kashmira Singh Galwati, while the gangsters included Vicky Gounder and Gurpreet Sekhon and their accomplices.

According to police records, Mintoo, who had been living in Pakistan, was nabbed from Thailand and brought to Patiala. After escaping from Nabha jail, Mintoo was arrested from Delhi the same night by the Delhi Police.

A few years later, he died of a heart attack in Patiala jail. Meanwhile, Kashmira Singh Galwati is yet to come into the hands of the police. Meanwhile, Vicky Gounder, a dreaded gangster, along with his accomplice, were killed in a police encounter by inspector Bikramjit Singh Brar (now DSP), a resident of Patiala. The rest of the gangsters who escaped from the jail were arrested from different places.

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Chandigarh: The Punjab Government overnment has extended the holidays in Anganwadi Centers of the state till January 14, 2023 due to severe cold and fog in the state. This was disclosed here today by the Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister of Punjab Dr. Baljit Kaur.

Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the holidays have been extended till January 14 in all the Anganwadi Centers of the state to protect the children from winter. Anganwadi workers will give take home ration to all the beneficiaries as per the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. During vacations, Anganwadi workers/helpers will perform their duties in Anganwadi Centers as before.

It may be mentioned that the increase in holidays in Anganwadi centers has been done due to bad weather.

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Chandigarh: The Central Government has convened a meeting of Punjab and Haryana on the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar will hold a meeting in Delhi on January 4.

The Central government has started a round of talks to deal with the water dispute between the two states. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will chair the meeting.

Punjab and Haryana’s dispute over the water issue is currently in the Supreme Court. The apex court had in September directed the two states to find a solution to the issue through dialogue. In view of this, a meeting of the two states was also held in Chandigarh on October 14.

The next hearing of the case in the Supreme Court is on January 19, for which the Central Government itself is holding a meeting of the two states. The apex court had directed the Central government to resolve the issue through dialogue between the two states.

The first attempt was made by the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana by holding a meeting in Chandigarh and the meeting remained inconclusive. Now the central government has started making efforts.

On April 8, 1982, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had started the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal in village Kapuri. The Shiromani Akali Dal had also put up a morcha on the issue of water. The water issue has gone through several stages for a long time.

Captain Amarinder Singh had cancelled the water agreements in 2004. The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance had initiated efforts to return the acquired land for the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

According to the latest details, the Punjab government has started preparations for the January 4 Delhi meeting so that Punjab’s stand can be firmly put forward in the central meeting.

The first meeting between the two states has been inconclusive

The October 14 meeting between the two states remained inconclusive. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in his meeting with his Haryana counterpart, had made it clear that not a single drop of water was surplus in Punjab even though Haryana had insisted on the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The Punjab government had also said that the waters of Ravi and Beas should be evaluated in terms of the current availability of water.

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Chandigarh: The world is excited for the welcome of the year 2023. Likewise, most of the government officials and employees of Punjab have gone on holidays with the remaining leave of the year. Officers and employees working in government departments are equally calculating by taking all other types of leave including CL-EL.

Not only this, even Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also gone on holiday in Rajasthan with his wife to celebrate new year.

The government functioning of all boards, corporations, corporations, secretariats, health department, education department and other government departments of the Punjab government has slowed down due to employees on leave. Whether it is common or special in the last days of the year 2022, everyone is out to have fun with family- relatives and friends, sources in government said.

Ministers, leaders and officials of the Punjab government are also busy completing the accounts of the last days of the year 2022 along with the planning of the year 2023.

The Punjab government has not yet scheduled any meeting or schedule with any department or officials on December 31. All government work is scheduled till December 30.

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Chandigarh: Former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi has returned to Punjab from abroad. He had been abroad for the past several months reportedly busy in completing his PhD.

On his return to Punjab, he has not shown any political activism at the moment. CM Bhagwant Mann had recently accused Channi of passing many false files without following required procedures.

He also said that he was not in touch with Channi. Channi, however, had revealed his mobile number from abroad and said he could be contacted anytime in 24 hours. He claims to have a record of everything.

Meanwhile, Channi met Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi soon after returning to India. He also met Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge. It has been described as a courtesy call, while Channi had gone abroad after the party’s defeat in the Punjab Assembly elections. During this time, it was revealed that he was in US, Canada and elsewhere. But now after returning to the country, he first met all the senior leaders in Delhi.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on his Bharat Jodo Yatra. It is believed that Charanjit Singh Channi has also held talks with senior party leaders in this regard. Also, if Channi does not go abroad again, then he is expected to join Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

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Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached The Lachowal Toll Plaza in Hoshiarpur and made it toll-free for commuters.

The Chief Minister said the Lachowal toll on the Hoshiarpur-Tanda road, which had expired from the midnight of December 14, had been opened to the public. More roads will be freed in the coming days.

He said that the company of Lachowal toll plaza has violated the terms of the agreement. A notice was issued against the company. Bhagwant Mann said that from today, people of 1. 94 crore will be benefited of free toll on this road. He said that in the coming days, the turn of the rest of the toll plazas will also come, we have a list of the toll plazas which have violated the conditions.

In the coming days, there will be big disclosures of the companies of the toll plaza. The conditions have been violated by the company of Lachowal toll plaza and people’s money has been misused. Bhagwant Mann said that from today the Lachowal toll plaza has been made free for the public. This toll plaza is now handed over to the public.

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Patiala: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the state government will take severe action against the educational institutions found discouraging the use of Punjabi language in their campuses.

Addressing the gathering during the concluding day of the inter-university youth festival here at Punjabi University, the Chief Minister said that it has come to his notice that some educational institutions are imposing fine on students for using Punjabi language as a means of communication within the school campus. He said that this is unwarranted and undesirable as Punjabi was the mother tongue of Punjabis residing in the state. Bhagwant Mann warned such institutions of strict punitive action if any such fine was imposed.

Exhorting the youth to play a proactive role and support the state government to make Punjab a frontrunner state across the globe, the Chief Minister said that the youth of the state have been blessed with unbounded energy and talent that had always acted as a catalyst in bringing positive change in the society. He said that the time has come when the youth must contribute positively in socio-economic development of the state and the society. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is committed for the well being and progress of the state adding that no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause.

The Chief Minister said that Punjab is the land of great gurus, saints, seers and prophets who have always taught the Punjabis to fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice. He said that Punjab has always emerged strong after every crisis and has scripted a new success story. Bhagwant Mann said that the day is not far away when with the strenuous efforts of the state government the pristine glory of the state will be soon restored.

The Chief Minister unequivocally said that the state government is according top priority to the education sector. He said that Education is key for the success of every individual and no stone will be left unturned to ensure quality education to every youth of the state. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government has ample funds for strengthening and rejuvenating the education system in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is making concerted efforts for providing jobs to the youth. He said that the state government has already started recruitment processes in various departments of the state. Bhagwant Mann said that more than 20,000 government job letters have been given to the youth of the state adding that more such jobs are in the pipeline.

The Chief Minister said that to open new vistas of employment for youth the state government is making massive efforts to develop the state as an industrial hub. He said that earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was made with families of the ruling class but now these agreements are being made with the state government for the wellbeing of Punjab and Punajbis. Bhagwant Mann said that due to the efforts of the state government, big industrial giants are now making a beeline in the state to set up their projects.

The Chief Minister said that the motive of the state government is to make the youth of the state job providers and not the job seekers. He said that due focus is being accorded on imparting skill education to the youth so as to provide a pool of skilled labour to the industrialists. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government has taken several out of the box measures for generating employment for the youth.

The Chief Minister said that the state was fortunate to have got two sessions of G-20, first in March 15, 16 and 17 on Education and then in the month of June 22-23 on Labour. He said that the state is renowned all over the world for its warm hospitality and no stone will be left unturned for welcoming the guests from participating nations during these events. Bhagwant Mann said that these sessions will be held at the sacred land of Amritsar where lakhs of devotees daily pay obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Mandir, Sri Ram Tirath, Jallianwala Bagh and others.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will make elaborate arrangements for the comfortable stay of the dignitaries participating in the summit. He said that apart from assuring their cozy stay in state, the guests will be offered the traditional Punjabi food adding that they will also be given a glimpse of rich Punjabi culture during the cultural events in the evening. Bhagwant Mann said that if the dignitaries wish to visit other districts of state like sports hub Jalandhar then adequate arrangements will also be made for their journey.

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Chandigarh: Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has issued an order to rename of all government schools across the state, those have been named on the basis of caste and fraternity.

Disclosing this here today, Harjot Singh Bains said that several cases have come to his notice regarding the names of many government schools in the state being associated with a caste community, which makes them feel uncivilised in the present era and at the same time promote caste segregation in the society.

He said that all the students, irrespective of secular and caste, were being given equal education on the basis of equality in the government schools of Punjab under which the names of government schools could not be related to class or caste.

The Education Minister said that Punjab is the land of gurus, saints and great prophets who have taught humanity to stay away from casteism and all kinds of discrimination.

He said that in today’s era, these names have a profound effect on the tender minds of the students and sometimes many parents also refrain from enrolling their children in government schools because of these names.

In this regard, a report has been sought from all the District Education Officers and Elementary Education, about the schools of different caste-based names running in their jurisdiction. After receiving this report, the heads of the department will be to prompt action to rechristen these names.

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Chandigarh: Punjab has observed the Average Air Quality Index (AQI) reduction of 16.4% from the last year and 31.7% as comparative to 2020.

The Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer while divulging the details stated that due to constant efforts of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and appealed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, this year’s air quality improved as compare to last years on the day of Diwali.

Pointing out further, the Environment Minister said that last year as well as in 2020 no city remained in the moderate category of AQI whereas this year 2 cities (Khanna & Mandi Gobindgarh) remained in the Moderate category of AQI.

Overall all the 6 Cities of Punjab have observed a reduction in the AQI during this year’s Diwali (2022) as compared to last year’s Diwali days (2020 & 2021), said the Minister adding the Average AQI of Punjab this year Diwali was 224 (Poor) as compared to 268 (Poor) in 2021and 328 (very Poor) in 2020.

The Maximum AQI was recorded at Amritsar this year with AQI Category 262 (Poor). However, in the last year Maximum value of AQI 327 (Very Poor) was observed in Jalandhar & in 2020 Maximum value of AQI 386 (Very Poor) was observed in Amritsar. The minimum AQI for this year was recorded in Mandi Gobindgarh with AQI of 188 (Moderate) against the last year value of 220 (Poor) and also in 2020 with AQI value of 262 (Poor). Last year AQI of the 02 Cities (Amritsar & Jalandhar) remained in Very Poor Category whereas in 2020, 04 cities namely Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana & Patiala remained in Very Poor category. However, no city remained in very poor category of AQI this year. The Maximum AQI reduction in this year was observed in Jalandhar (31.2%) and Minimum was observed in Patiala(7.0%), said the Minister.

Meanwhile, the Chairman PPCB Prof. Adarsh Paul Vig thanked the people of State of Punjab for following the advisory issued with respect to time period fixed for bursting of fire crackers and using the green crackers for celebrations of Diwali festival, resulting in overall improvement in Air Quality as compared to last year and 2020 also.

The Member Secretary PPCB Karunesh Garg said that the Punjab Pollution Control Board has installed Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in 06 cities of Punjab namely Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Khanna, MandiGobindgarh and Patiala to monitor the ambient air quality on real time basis.

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New Delhi: Under fire over the new liquor policy, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today announced that the Delhi government has withdrawn its new excise policy and directed to reopen government liquor vends.

The decision to roll back the new excise policy came a few days after after L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 and also blamed Sisodia citing gross irregularities in the policy.

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