A plan was prepared to declare all the wildlife sanctuaries in the country as eco sensitive zones. The plan was formulated as part of an eco sensitive strategy by the Wildlife Board of India in 2002. According to the plan, these were eco sensitive areas and there would be no construction within the radius of 100 Metre around these sanctuaries. Any construction whatsoever was to be done outside the 100 Metre radius. The practice was initiated in the entire country.
This was disclosed by the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister, Punjab, Lal Chand Kataruchak today during an interaction with the mediapersons.
Divulging more, the Minister said that the Punjab Government in the year 2013 readied detailed plan with regard to the 13 wildlife sanctuaries of the State and sent the same to the Government of India which declared these 13 wildlife sanctuaries as the eco sensitive zones. Hence, on this basis, any construction activity was forbidden within 100 Metre radius of these sanctuaries. But the Government of India didn’t declare the Sukhna Lake, the 14th spot which shares its borders with Haryana and Punjab, to be included in the above said category.
The Minister further said that it is already decided in case of Sukhna Lake from legal point of view that no construction can take place within 10 Km radius, neither any business activity nor any other kind can happen inside the said radius.
But recently, the Supreme Court directed that talks should be initiated with the local people inhabiting the above said area of lake. As a result, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann formed a five Member committee which conducted various meetings and listened to the grievances of the people. Accordingly, a report was sent to the Hon’ble Supreme Court and a demand was placed that an eco sensitive zone be declared in this area.
The Minister further said that the memorandum prepared as per the directions of the Chief Minister, was approved by the Cabinet. This would give a lot of respite to the people and this memorandum would also be sent to the Government of India.
Chandigarh, April 12 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has said that if mustard or wheat crop of a farmer gets wet in any grain market, then strict action will be taken against the officials of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board. The Chief Minister, taking cognizance of the news related to the wetting of crops of farmers in the grain markets of Nathusari Chopta, Sirsa and Narnaund published in some newspapers, said that when the crop of the farmer reaches the market, then it becomes the responsibility of Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board to ensure the protection of the crop from rain etc. Taking seriously the matter of wetting of mustard and wheat crops in these mandis, he said that strict action will be taken against the officer and employee found guilty for this. He directed that action should be taken against the accused in this case and the Chief Minister should be informed by April 15 about what steps officers are taking to resolve this matter. He instructed the departmental officers to keep an eye on the weather and make advance preparations for the safety of the crops coming to the market so that the farmers do not suffer any kind of loss.
Taking a significant decision to digitize employee attendance, the Punjab Transport Department has implemented an online attendance system from today onwards. All employees will now be required to mark their online attendance twice daily.
Punjab Transport Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar said that previously, attendance was recorded manually in registers. He said that complete training has been provided to all employees working in the Transport Department and SDM offices including regular, outsourced, contractual staff and lab attendants, to ensure a smooth transition to the online attendance system.
The Cabinet Minister informed that instructions have been issued for all employees to mark their attendance on the M-Seva App, adding that starting today, employees across various concerned offices and regional offices have begun using the app for attendance tracking.
S. Bhullar further said that the online system was launched after creating M-Seva login credentials for all employees and providing them with detailed user guides.
The Transport Minister said that employees cannot mark their attendance from home as the system incorporates geo-fencing along with latitude and longitude tracking software. This technology automatically records the employee’s location when marking attendance.
S. Bhullar added that if an employee needs to work outside the office, he must verify his location through a mobile device. “This initiative will not only enhance the department’s operational efficiency but also help address public concerns and complaints more effectively and swiftly,” he added.
Under Punjab Sikhia Kranti, Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh on Friday inaugurated works at four schools completed at a cost of Rs. 1.20 crore while stating that the state government has equipped its schools with ultra modern facilities, upgraded infrastructure to facilitate students and teachers.
Dedicating the works worth Rs. 60 lakh at Government Senior Secondary School, Ajram, Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh said that the State Government would make all out efforts for all round development of students as well as ensuring their bright future so that they could compete at national and international level. The Minister said that Punjab Government had put the education sector in its foremost priorities thus giving a new facelift to schools across the state during the last three years. Nowadays, the government schools have modern classrooms, strengthened infrastructure, requisite and free of cost facilities, which would be immensely beneficial for students.
In another function, the Minister also inaugurated works worth Rs. 11.2 lakh at Government Primary School, Ajram village, Rs. 38.43 lakh at Government Senior Secondary School Dhadde Fateh Singh and Rs. 10.5 lakh works at Government Primary School Hardokhanpur. In his address, Dr. Ravjot Singh said that the Punjab government has set aside 12 percent amount of the total budget i.e. Rs. 17975 crore, for the education sector, which would further bolster the ongoing reforms. The Minister inaugurated three new classrooms and laboratories of Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Government Senior Secondary School Dhadde Fateh Singh. Similarly, three science laboratories, school boundary walls and classrooms were inaugurated at Government Senior Secondary School, Ajram. A new room was inaugurated at the school in Hardokhanpur.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasions included District Education Officer Lalita Arora, Principal Jagdeep Kaur, Principal Dharminder Sharma, Principal Gurpreet Singh, Sarpanch Bidhi Chand, NRI Kuldeep Singh, Gurjap Singh, Joginder Singh, Acchar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Principal Kulwant Singh, Dr. Armanpreet Singh, Amandeep Sharma, Avtar Singh, Principal Harjinder Singh, Paramjit Singh Kaluwahar, Balbir Singh, Sanjeev Kumar, Sarpanch Amandeep Singh, Principal Ravinder Kaur, Panch Vikramjit, Mukesh Kumar, Amandeep Dhami, Raja Kalia, Madan Kalia, Head Master Surinder Singh, Ravbir Singh, Ravinder Kaur, Jaswinder Singh, Madan Sharma etc. were present.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will have a direct dialogue with the farmers of the state during first of its kind ‘Sarkar-Kisan Milni’ slated to take place at Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana on April 12 to save the precious groundwater of the state by promotion of less water guzzling varieties of paddy.
The Kisan Milni will be held at PAU on Saturday in which more than 1100 farmers are likely to take part. Several stalls will be installed during the Sarkar Kisan Milni to make the farmers aware about several initiatives being taken by the state government. The special Sarkar Kisan Milni will focus on making the farmers aware about cultivation of paddy before the starting of paddy season.
During the Milni the farmers will be apprised about the innovative and less water guzzling techniques of paddy transplant and the focus will be on motivating the farmers to use only the high yielding varieties of paddy approved by the PAU. The farmers will also be informed that in order to avoid complications to the farmers in selling their paddy harvest due to high moisture content in October, the state government has decided to advance the paddy cultivation season from June 1. For this zone wise cultivation of the paddy crop will be ensured in the state and necessary planning and arrangements are already being made by the Punjab government for this motive.
The state has been divided into zones to implement this sowing mechanism in an effective manner and the dates of paddy cultivation in a phased manner will be announced soon so that farmers can take benefit from it. The state government will rope in renowned agriculture experts to benefit the farmers during this Milni. The Milni will focus on saving the precious groundwater of the state on one hand and enhancing the income of the farmers on the other.
The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has decided to promulgate an Ordinance to provide adequate representation to members of SC community for contractual engagement as law officers in the state.
A decision to this effect was taken the Council of Ministers in a meeting held here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister here at his official residence today.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Cabinet gave nod to promulgate an ordinance to amend Punjab Law Officers Engagement Act 2017. This step is aimed to relax income criteria for contractual engagement of Law officers belonging to SC Community in the state by reducing the existing desired annual income slab by 50%. The purpose of relaxation in income criteria is to provide adequate representation to members of SC community for contractual engagement as law officers in AG Office, Punjab.
OTR POLICY FOR ALLOTTEES OF IMPROVEMENT TRUST OKAYED
In another significant decision, the Cabinet has also accorded its approval to One Time Relaxation (OTR) policy regarding Non Construction fee and outstanding allotment amount for allottees of Improvement Trusts of the state. This decision will give a major relief to the allottees as the penal interest will be waived off.
GIVES CONSENT FOR REORGANISATION OF BLOCKS
To maintain geographical and administrative contiguity, efficiency, cost optimisation and legislative synergy, the Cabinet also gave green signal for reorganisation and rationalisation of the existing blocks in the state. The realignment of blocks is necessitated in order to ensure better administration of these blocks in the larger public interest. Pertinently, there are 154 blocks in the state currently and due to some ambiguities, several problems were being faced to run administration smoothly in these blocks.
RETIREMENT AGE OF DOCTORS AND PROFESSORS IN MEDICAL COLLEGES ENHANCED
In another significant decision, the Cabinet also gave consent to enhance retirement age of Doctors and Professors serving in Medical Colleges under Medical education and research department from existing 62 years to 65 years. This will help in imparting quality education in the Medical Colleges continuously thereby immensely benefitting the students in these colleges.
GREEN SIGNAL TO NEED BASED HIRING OF SPECIALISED DOCTORS AFTER SUPERANNUATION
The Cabinet also gave consent to hire the Specialists doctors retiring from the service to cope up with the shortage of doctors in government hospitals. These doctors will be hired annually on need based basis in the larger public interest.
Lashing out the opponents for engaging in petty politics over infrastructure development projects being inaugurated under “Sikhya Kranti” initiative in the state government schools, Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains shamed Congress and SAD-BJP leaders for their decades-long neglect of government schools, where students were deprived of even basic facilities like toilets and boundary walls.
Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, on Friday evening, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated that during his visits to government schools, some students and teachers informed him of the lack of basic facilities like toilets, boundary walls, and desks, forcing them to go outdoors to relieve themselves and the students had to sit on the ground. He attributed this situation to the previous regimes’ neglect of education.
“For 75 years, these parties looted Punjab while our children sat on floors and our daughters had to drop studies due to lack of toilets. Now, instead of repenting, they mock our efforts to rebuild the system,” said S Harjot Bains.
Revealing the shocking data of previous regimes, the Education Minister informed that before the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Government came to power in Punjab, there were no bathrooms in over 3000 schools and 8,000 government schools were without boundary walls and around three lakh students were sit on ground.
Inviting the media to come along with him to visit government schools to witness the transformation of education system, S. Harjot Bains said that Congress, SAD-BJP were not ashamed when our daughters had to leave the schools because of the lack of toilets. “Their (opposition leaders’) own children study in schools where even the bathrooms have air conditioning facilities and security is deployed outside the schools,” he said, while adding that they robbed the poors of Punjab for years and now they are making fun of the poor again. They stole from the poor and built big farmhouses, 5 & 7 star palaces, Punjab government gave clean bathrooms to the daughters and they are feeling ashamed.
He further said that they are jealous of the plaques because we did in three years what they couldn’t do in 75 years. These are not just nameplates or plaques, it is a reminder of the failure of Congress and Akali-BJP governments in Punjab. “We are committed to convert the state into ‘Parhda Punjab’,” he said.
He emphasised that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, has been dedicated to providing all government schools with essential amenities include separate toilets for girls and boys, boundary walls, clean drinking water, high-speed Wi-Fi connections, and modern smart classrooms and furniture. These improvements have been implemented across all government schools in Punjab over the past three years.
S. Harjot Singh Bains highlighted that around 28 lakh students are currently receiving education in the state’s 20,000 government schools, while adding that over 12,000 government schools have undergone a significant transformation with an investment of Rs. 2000 crore under “Sikhya Kranti”.
He mentioned that the infrastructure development projects inaugurated today in 410 government schools across Punjab aim to encourage MLAs and officials to visit these schools, interact with students, and inspire them to achieve their goals.
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HARJOT BAINS INAUGURATES PROJECTS WORTH OVER RS. 1.75-CR IN ANANDPUR SAHIB CONSTITUENCY
Sri Anandpur Sahib: Earlier, the Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains today inaugurated infrastructure projects worth over Rs.1.75 crore across 12 government schools in his assembly constituency Sri Anandpur Sahib. These projects include Rs. 4.4 lakh for Government Primary Smart School Bara Pind Lower, Rs. 6.02 lakh for classroom renovation at Government Primary School Hardoi Haripur, Rs. 3.80 lakh for boundary wall at Government Primary School Hardo Nirmoh Upper, Rs. 17.6 lakh for boundary wall at Government Primary School Atari, Rs. 70 lakh for holistic plan out of which Rs.35.32 lakh have been used for complete boundary wall, science lab, new classroom and room repairs at Government Senior Secondary School Atari, Rs. 40 lakh foundation stone for holistic plan at Government Primary School Pirthipur, Rs. 5.7 lakh foundation stone for basketball court at Government High School Pirthipur, Rs. 12.55 lakh for room renovation at Government Primary School Nirmohgarh, Rs. 3.8 lakh for boundary wall at Government Primary School Hardo Nirmoh Lower, Rs. 2.55 lakh for room renovation at Government Primary School Nau Lakha, Rs. 6.75 lakh for boundary wall at Government Middle School Nau Lakha and Rs. 2.55 lakh for repair and renovation at Government Primary School Dadhi.
Trials of various Punjab teams for the Khelo India Youth Games will be held on April 13 at different places. Players wishing to participate in these trials should have their date of birth on or after January 1, 2007.
An official spokesperson of the Sports Department said that the Khelo India Youth Games are being held in Bihar from 4th to 15 May. Trials for selection of Punjab’s Basketball (girls) team will be held at Guru Nanak Stadium Ludhiana, Hockey (boys and girls) at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium Jalandhar, Kho Kho (boys and girls) at Polo Ground Patiala, Volleyball (boys) at Punjab Institute of Sports, Sector 63 Mohali and trails for Kabaddi (girls) team will be at Polo Ground Patiala. The trials will be held on 13th April at 11 am.
Chandigarh, April 11, 2025: Leading neurologists from Fortis Hospital, Mohali have advocated for a holistic and personalized approach to managing Parkinson’s disease, citing promising developments in genetics, nutrition, and advanced surgical treatments. They also emphasized how genetic testing, millet-based diets, and interventions such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) are transforming patient care and symptom management.
During a press conference on World Parkinson’s Day, the team of doctors including Dr Sudesh Prabhakar, Director of Neurology; Dr Anupam Jindal, Additional Director, Neurosurgery; Dr Nishit Sawal, Senior Consultant, Neurology;and Dr Ravneet Kaur, Associate Consultant, Department of Medical Genetics, deliberated on the causes, symptoms and treatment modalities of Parkinson’s Disease.
Briefing the media, Dr Sudesh Prabhakar, said, “Though the disease is most commonly diagnosed in people above 60 years of age, it can also affect the younger population. Symptoms primarily comprise tremors, rigidity, slowed movement, problems in writing and communication; while the non-motor symptoms include sleep disturbances and depression. Some symptoms might also be associated with severe constipation, one of the initial symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.”
Highlighting the importance of liquid L-dopa formations and millet-based diets in managing Parkinson’s disease, Dr Nishit Sawal, said, “The absorption of L-Dopa, the main drug for Parkinson’s disease, increases manifold if given via LCAS formulation (Liquid carbidopa ascorbic acid solution (LCAS). This is useful, especially in advanced disease when the effect of the tablet decreases and stays for a lesser time, and for those patients who do not want Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. Millet-based diets work by increasing the absorption of L-Dopa, the main drug for Parkinson’s disease, since they have lesser competing amino acids than cereal diets. Freezing of Gait (FOG) is a symptom which neither responds to medicines nor to DBS. Fortis Hospital Mohali has now acquired Deep TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) which works to some degree in FOG. Further, MRI-guided focused Ultra Sound Surgery (MRgFUS), despite its huge social media hype, is yet an unproven experimental ablative method.”
Discussing the role of genetics in determining Parkinson’s disease, Dr Ravneet Kaur, said, “Changes (mutations) in specific genes can increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, especially when there is a strong family history. With growing awareness and access to genetic testing, people can now gain insight into their inherited risk of developing the health condition. This is important for health management and family planning.”
Shedding light on treatment modalities of Parkinson’s disease, Dr Anupam Jindal, said, “Surgical treatment of Parkinson’s disease is usually done after the patient has had the diagnosis for at least two years. Two types of treatment procedures are available. The first is Deep Brain Stimulation, which involves inserting two thin electrodes into the brain and connecting them to a battery in the chest. This is a stimulatory procedure, which enhances the functional ability of the patient. This procedure improves tremors, walking ability and also takes care of the side effects produced by the medicines. The second is an ablative or destructive procedure which is called Pallidotomy. This is usually a staged (one-side being done at a time) procedure and does not involve any implants. The other procedure in this category is thalamotomy, which is specifically used only for tremors.”
Chandigarh: HIL Limited, a part of the US $3 billion CK Birla Group, announced it has rebranded to BirlaNu Limited. This reflects the company’s ambitious growth strategy and its commitment to delivering world-class products and services across the building products space. The company has 32 manufacturing facilities across India and Europe, with customers and partners in over 80 countries.
Avanti Birla, President, BirlaNu, said, “Our new identity, BirlaNu, reflects who we are at our core—a company which is always pushing forward. We’re in this business because we believe in quality, innovation and making things that last. The people we serve—homeowners, builders, and designers—are at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s creating better products, improving sustainability, or bringing fresh ideas to construction, we’re here crafting innovative buildings and structures that stand the test of time.”
Akshat Seth, Managing Director and CEO, BirlaNu said, “Our focus has always been on delivering high-quality, sustainable building materials: pipes, construction chemicals, putty, roofs, walls and floors that meet the needs of modern construction. We’re making big moves to back that up. We’ve introduced Organic Based Stabilizers (OBS) in UPVC pipe manufacturing: an industry first in India, eliminating heavy metals. We will be setting up a greenfield facility this year in Patna for our foray into OPVC pipes. We’ve doubled our AAC block capacity in Chennai to 4 lakh cubic meters per year, making it one of the country’s largest facilities. And marking our expansion into the home and interiors space, we intend to bring our global premium flooring brand Parador to India.”
Akshat further added, “Punjab, Haryana and the tri-city of Chandigarh continues to be a focus market for our wide portfolio of products. As the region promises to stay in the fast lane of growth, driven by investments in Real Estate, Construction and Infrastructure, BirlaNu remains committed to delivering faster, stronger, and more sustainable building solutions.
Among our standout offerings are the BirlaNu Leakproof Pipes, an advanced range of water management solutions. Developed with TruFiT Technology, these pipes ensure zero leakage and superior joint strength, setting new standards of performance. We are confident of our plans in the pipes category on the back of an impressive 70 %+ yoy volume growth at an all-India level and strategic acquisitions such as Crestia Polytech, makers of the Topline brand of pipes in Patna, in 2024. Our pipes have also been used in the Jal Jeevan Mission, impacting more than 3 lakh households.”
With integrity, collaboration and excellence at its core, BirlaNu is set to redefine industry benchmarks and drive meaningful impact. BirlaNu is more than just a name—it represents a renewed purpose and commitment to being a trusted partner in building the future. As the world evolves, BirlaNu remains committed to shaping spaces where life unfolds and inspiring beautiful, lasting design.
About BirlaNu
BirlaNu (formerly HIL Limited), part of the US $3 billion CK Birla Group, is a home and building products and services company.
We serve homeowners, builders and designers with sustainable, innovative solutions across pipes, construction chemicals, putty, roofs, walls and floors, featuring brands like BirlaNu Leakproof Pipes, BirlaNu Construction Chemicals, BirlaNu TruColour Putty, Charminar, BirlaNu Aerocon, Parador and Topline.
With 32 manufacturing facilities in India, Germany and Austria, innovation centers in India & Germany and a market presence in over 80 countries, we adhere to the highest global quality standards, holding certifications such as GreenPro, IGBC, PEFC, Blue Angel and EPD. Our products are integral to commercial, healthcare, hospitality, residential and infrastructure projects worldwide.
Powered by over 5000 employees and a strong partner ecosystem, BirlaNu is recognized as one of India’s best companies to work for (Great Place to Work®️) and has won the Iconic Brand, Asia’s Most Trusted Brand and Super Brand awards.
About the CK Birla Group
The CK Birla Group, with a revenue of over US $3 billion, is an Indian multinational conglomerate. With over 35,000 employees, the group operates 52 manufacturing facilities across India and the world, with a presence in diverse sectors including technology, automotive, home and building, and healthcare.
The CK Birla Group continuously adapts to stay ahead in a changing world. By harnessing technology and investing in people and digital transformation, the Group consistently remains agile and delivers profitable growth. Viewing value creation through a global lens, our companies operate without borders.
The CK Birla Group companies include Birlasoft Limited, GMMCO Limited, National Engineering Industries Limited (manufacturer of NBC Bearings), Orient Cement Limited, BirlaNu Limited (formerly HIL Limited), Orient Electric Limited, CK Birla Healthcare Private Limited (CK Birla Hospitals and Birla Fertility & IVF), Orient Paper & Industries Limited, AVTEC Limited and Neosym Industry Limited.
Our companies share a common purpose of serving customers, partners and communities to create long term value through trust based relationships.
