Chandigarh, March 21, 2025 –

 In a significant move under its ongoing “War Against Corruption” campaign, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in collaboration with the Health and Food Safety Department, conducted surprise inspections at food processing factories and shops in Amritsar city. The operation targeted unhygienic and unlicensed establishments, particularly those manufacturing Soya Champs and Momos.

An official spokesperson for the VB stated that in line with the directives issued by the Punjab Government, a joint teams comprising VB officials and Food Safety Officers carried out raids on unhygienic factories and shops producing food items,m across various localities in the city.

“During the operation, the team inspected wholesale shops in the Rambagh area where samples of Soya Champs and Momos were collected and sealed. It was discovered that several shopkeepers had not obtained the necessary food safety licenses and were storing food items in unsanitary conditions. In response, challans (fines) were issued to the violators,” he added.

He further informed that additionally, the team raided two Soya Champ manufacturing factories located in Angarh. Both factories were found to be operating in extremely unhygienic conditions and without valid food safety licenses. As a result, the factories were immediately sealed, and samples of Champs and other food items were collected for further analysis.

The spokesperson further revealed that a total of five samples were collected during the joint operation. These samples have been sent to the State Laboratory in Kharar for testing. Legal action would be initiated against the violators based on the laboratory reports.

Chandigarh, March 21, 2025

In a decisive move to safeguard public health, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, under the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has launched a statewide crackdown on the sale of adulterated dairy products and other food items. Joint teams comprising Health and Food Safety Departments and VB personnel have been formed across various districts to conduct surprise inspections of suspected dairies and shops, ensuring the safety and quality of consumable goods.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said this initiative aimed at to address the growing concern of food adulteration which poses a significant threat to public health. “During the inspections, samples of milk-based products such as paneer, khoya, sweets, and ghee were collected from various establishments in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts. The checks were carried out in the presence of health department officials and government witnesses to ensure transparency,” he informed.

He further added that in Jalandhar, ‘Cake & Bake’ shop located at PPR Market, Mithapur Chowk, was immediately sealed after inspectors found unhygienic conditions in its kitchen. Similarly, in Hoshiarpur, ‘Dilbagh Milky Sweets’ was shut down on the spot due to poor cleanliness standards.

“In Nawanshahr, surprise checks were conducted at multiple shops and samples were collected, sealed and sent to the State Food Laboratory in Kharar, SAS Nagar for further analysis. Legal action would be initiated against establishments found guilty of adulteration based on the lab reports,” he added.

The spokesperson emphasized that the state government is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens. Strict measures would continue to be enforced to eliminate the menace of food adulteration and hold violators accountable.

Chandigarh, 21 March 2025

          S. Bhagwant Singh Mann Chief Minister of Punjab and   S.Kultar Singh Sandhwan Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha today extended a warm welcome to  Gulab Chand Kataria Governor of Punjab on his arrival at Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Governor of Punjab has arrived at Punjab Vidhan Sabha to address the first day of the budget session.

          S. Bhagwant Singh Mann Chief Minister of Punjab and  S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha presented a glass framed replica of Sri Harmandir Sahib and a Lohi to the Governor of Punjab.Gulab Chand Kataria Governor of Punjab felt highly delighted with this warm welcome extended to him.

          On this welcome occasion, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Dr. Ravjot Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Punjab , K.A.P. Sinha, Chief Secretary Punjab, Ashwani Sharma of BJP, Nachhatar Pal of Bahujan Samaj Party and Manpreet Singh Ayali of Shiromani Akali Dal were also present.

Chandigarh, March 21:

          In a significant step towards further strengthening the state’s education system, Punjab Government today elevated 415 teachers as Headmasters.

          Disclosing this here today, Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains said that 398 master/ mistress and 17 Block Primary Education Officers (BPEOs) have been promoted as Headmaster/Headmistress. These newly promoted Headmasters will undergo a one-year probation period. The promotion orders have been issued on the basis of the seniority list issued by the School Education department on 29-05-2024 and 05-08-2024 for the master cadre. 

          Extending heartiest congratulations to the teachers, S. Harjot Singh Bains urged them to work harder to fostering more robust and efficient learning environment for students. He said that these promotions would inject fresh energy and motivation into the education sector. Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is fully committed to ensuring welfare of all the state government employees.

          Recognising the dedication and hard work of these teachers, the department has decided to empower them to lead with greater responsibility. It will lead to improved student outcomes, he added.

CHANDIGARH, March 21:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 21st day, Punjab Police on Friday conducted raids at 493 locations leading to the arrest of 63 drug smugglers after registration of 47 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 2527 in just 21 days.

          Police teams have also recovered 573 grams heroin, 10 kg opium, 1470 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections and Rs 4750 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1300 police personnel, under the supervision of 96 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state and checked as many as 530 suspicious persons during the day long operation

          He said that Punjab Police has devised a comprehensive strategy and such operations will be continued till the scourge of drugs eradicated from the state.

          The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced two persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment, while, organised 125 awareness events across the state as part of Prevention.

          Meanwhile, Police teams have also conducted checking at as many as 170 pharmaceutical shops in six districts including Commissionerate Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot, Amritsar Rural and Tarn Taran to ensure that they are not selling intoxicant tablets or any other habit-forming drugs, and are adhering to the prescribed norms and regulations regarding the sale of medicines.

CHANDIGARH/PATIALA, March 21

                A case FIR No. 69 dated March 21, 2025 has been registered in Police Station Civil Lines, Patiala on the statement of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath as recorded on 14-03- 2025 regarding an unfortunate incident of assault by police officials which occurred on the intervening night of 13/14 March, 2025. The statement of Colonel Bath names the police officials who assaulted him and also gives the roles attributed to each person in the assault.

                A High Level Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Sh. S.P.S. Parmar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order, Punjab, and, including Sh. Sandeep Malik, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur and Sh. Manpreet Singh, PPS, Superintendent of Police, Rural, SAS Nagar has been constituted by the Director, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab for conducting investigations in a fair and expeditious manner. The SIT has been directed to conduct the investigation on day-to-day basis for collection of evidences and further legal proceedings, in order to ensure that the culprits are proceeded against as per law.

A Punjab Police spokesperson stated that instructions have been issued to DIG Patiala Range to immediately transfer the concerned police officials out of District Patiala, so that investigation can be conducted in a fair manner. The Spokesperson further added that all the 12 concerned police officials have been placed under suspension and Departmental Proceedings for major punishment have been initiated against them.

The Additional Director General of Police, Security, Punjab has been directed to provide adequate protection to the family of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath.

Chandigarh, March 20:

The Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak paid a surprise visit to Mattewara Jungle depot in Ludhiana. He conducted a thorough checking of all the wooden logs stored in the said depot.

These logs were stored in the depot after felling of green standing trees from Ludhiana- Rahon Road. The felling of the trees were ordered after getting due approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India.

The PSFDC took swift measures given below as per the directions of the Forest Minister. A fact finding committee comprising of the members of Forest department and PSFDC under the chairmanship of a Chief General Manager, a senior IFS Officer has been constituted for detailed physical verification of cut timber stock lying at all depots of Phillaur division.

Due to certain anomalies found during the checking, the Minister has ordered transfer of the concerned Regional Manager and the concerned Project Officer and other field staff has been shifted from current posting and felling on the above said road has been stopped immediately. The

Inter-regional committees have been constituted for annual stock taking and strict disciplinary action shall be taken immediately for any discrepancy, if found, in physical verification.

There are two procedures to dispose off trees by the Punjab State Forest Development Corporation (PSFDC). One is

Through auction on e-procurement portal number and direct felling by the Forest Corporation if trees are standing in the block forest or the felling charges have been deposited by the concerned department which is PWD.

In case of Ludhiana Rahon road, the PWD has deposited the requisite amount.

The PSFDC disposes off most of the standing trees and cut timber through tender cum auction on Government e-procurement portal which is highly transparent and is realising highly competitive rates. The Cut timber obtained from felling of standing trees is stored in the depot before disposal.

Chandigarh, March 20:

The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday gave nod to place the Budget estimates for the year 2025-26 in the ensuing budget session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of Council of Ministers held here at the official residence of the Chief Minister.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the budget will be presented by the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on the floor house on March 26.  The Cabinet also gave consent to place the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India for year 2023-24 on floor of house.

Students from EWS to get 25% reservation in private schools

In a major step aimed at ensuring access of quality education to the students from Economically Weaker sections of society, the Cabinet also gave nod to amend Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 for omitting clause 7 (01) of the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011. This will enable the students belonging to the economically weaker section to avail admission in private schools. This path breaking initiative will herald a new era of education revolution in the state by opening doors of quality education for poor in private schools too, along with that being already imparted in the government schools.

Pertinently, the Right to Education stipulate that 25% seats in all the private schools will be reserved for the students for the EWS. However this provision in the rules framed by the previous regimes debarred the students from getting this facility directly in private schools. But this historic decision of the state government will now remove all the restrictions on the students of weaker and underprivileged sections and provide them access of quality education in private schools across the state.

Chandigarh:

In a remarkable achievement, world-renowned robotic surgeon, Dr Peter C. Lim, Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at Center of Hope, and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine – who has the distinction of conducting the highest number of robotic surgeries in the world at more than 4000 – has especially flown down from the US to felicitate leading gynae robotic surgeon, Dr Swapna Misra, Director, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital Mohali, and acknowledge her for eminent contribution in the field of robot-aided surgeries.

Dr Misra, who is also a Robotic Laparoscopic and Cancer Surgeon, has treated several women suffering from complex gynae ailments through the world’s most advanced 4th Generation Robot – Da Vinci Xi.

Dr Misra has undergone the most advanced training under Dr Peter Lim at San Diego in the US. She has also received the highest TR 500 training in the US and she is the only TR 500 trained robotic surgeon in the country.

Lauding the efforts of the Leadership Team at Fortis Mohali for the successful implementation of the Robot-aided Surgery Programme, Dr Peter, said, “I want to congratulate the Fortis management and robotic surgeons, including Dr Swapna Misra, for successfully conducting robot-aided surgeries and treating several patients suffering from complex diseases. I have mentored Dr Misra and she is truly capable of spearheading this unique robotic programme in the country.”

Dr Peter further said owing to the successful implementation of the Robot- Aided Programme at Fortis Hospital Mohali, Fortis Mohali had recently procured another 4th Generation Robot – Da Vinci Xi, to cater to the growing demands of patients.

Briefing the media persons, Dr Misra, said, “I am fortunate to have undergone training under Dr Peter Lim as his expertise and precision is remarkable. I was able to learn the finer nuances of the robot-aided surgery programme which helped me hone my skills.”

Robotic surgery has transformed the face of medical treatment. It is the latest form of minimal invasive surgery, which provides a 3D view of the operative field via a special camera inserted into the body of the patient. Parts of the body which are difficult to reach with the human hand can be accessed through robot-assisted arms that can rotate 360 degrees.”

Dr Misra has successfully treated patients several patients through Daycare Gynae Robotic Surgery, which ensures surgery and the patient’s discharge on the same day.

Dr Misra further added, “Robot-aided Surgery has been established as the gold standard procedure for almost all gynecological surgeries — fibroids, endometriosis, vesico-vaginal fistula, ovarian cyst, salpingo-oophorectomy, myomectomy, hysterectomy and all cancers of the uterus, ovary and cervix. Robotic-aided surgery has revolutionized the treatment of various gynecological diseases.”