Leader of the Opposition Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, who raised the issue after Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had already intervened, demanded inquiry by the CBI into the death of a teacher in Burail jail, Rs. 5 lakh as compensation and government job to the dependent.

The issue was first raised by Luxmi Kanta Chawla (BJP) during zero hour blaming the government for provoking the teachers to resort to agitation. She said teachers had been lathi-charged and examinations affected.

Badal intervened saying he had requested the Chandigarh Administration to release the detained teachers. He said the payment of arrears to the teachers was under the consideration of the state government.

Badal reiterated that water would not be released in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal which is to carry water to Haryana from Punjab rivers. He made the one line statement after Ajit Inder Singh Mofar (Akali Dal -Amritsar) referred to the plan of his party to start filling the canal from March 20. Badal advised him to abandon the programme as water would not be released. Hardev Arshi (CPI) referred to the pamphlets being distributed in the border areas as part of the effort to provoke the sentiments of a community.

Jagir Kaur's election hailed
The election of Bibi Jagir Kaur as the first women president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was hailed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today.

The issue was raised by Finance Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh who described it as historic decision by the ruling Akali Dal. He said he had raised the issue as she is also member of the House. He said it was also not without significance that she belongs to the backward classes. Jagir Kaur was not present in the House when her election was hailed with the thumping of desks.

The Finance Minister referred to her spirit of sacrifice to serve in the religious domain. She resigned as Tourism Minister immediately after taking over her new assignment. Capt. Kanwaljit Singh said the House should complement both Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal and Bibi Jagir Kaur. Ban on polybag manufacture likelyTHE proposal to ban the manufacture of polythene bags in the state is under the consideration of the state government.

This was disclosed by Finance Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh in the Vidhan Sabha today while replying to a question from Ajit Inder Singh Mofar (Akali Dal-Amritsar).

Mofar referred to the Central legislation banning the use of polythene bags, which, he said, were the cause of the spread of hepatitus B and clogging the sewerage system.

The finance minister said the Punjab government wanted to go a step ahead by even banning the manufacture.

Education Minister Tota Singh told Hardev Arshi (CPI) that Puran Chand, a school teacher, then working at Chheharata in Amritsar got state level teacher's award by forging the annual confidential report in 1994. He said proceedings were initiated against him after it came to the notice of the authorities. He was asked to return the award. He has been charge- sheeted.

The finance minister told Sher Singh Jalalabad that the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, had allocated Rs. 6.00 crore from his discretionary fund for compensation to the farmers having agricultural lands beyond the border fencing to compensate them for the loss suffered by them. The state government has framed a scheme which has been sent to the Planning Commission for approval and sanction is awaited.