Call it a quirk of fate. When B.S. Yeddyurappa took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka's first BJP government on May 30, 2008, he did so in the name of the farmer. He knew he owed his present position to him. The first decision of his Cabinet was also seen as pro-farmer: the government announced that it would not charge them for the electricity sold to power irrigation pumpsets. However, a few days later, when his police opened fire to control a mob of violent protestors, the first victim, Siddalingappa Choori (35), was a farmer. Several others were wounded.

Funds crunch limits options Starved of funds to purchase adequate power to meet the demand in the state, the PSEB authorities have started imposing heavy power cuts, varying from 6 to 8 hours daily. Sources said the demand for power yesterday was in the range of 1,750 lakh units against the availability of power of 1,501 lakh units. Consequently, the PSEB resorted to power cuts in various areas. The cuts have to be imposed despite the good rainfall that has helped the PSEB in a big way to keep the consumption of power in the farm sector on the lower side.

Barnala: At least 40 students of a government school in Roore Ke village in Barnala district were taken ill after eating fruit of jatropha (ratanjot) grown on the school premises. Sources said all the students were admitted to Barnala Civil Hospital, where they were said to be out of danger.

Taking a serious note of irregularities in distribution of food to anganwari children, under the mid-day meal scheme in Barara sub-division, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ashwini Mengi, has ordered an inquiry into the matter, which will be conducted by the Child Development Project Officer. Sources informed that the meals were being prepared for more heads than the original strength in the anganwadi. Mengi also said that those workers found guilty would not be spared and strict action would be taken against them.

PAANI (Preventing Attrition to Assets in Nature Initiative), a joint collaborative venture of the state government with other stakeholders such as the farmers, industry, academia and civic authorities, would be launched to improve the available quality of water resources in the state as well as environment and ecology. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has invited the CII and WWF for launching initiatives for saving rivers of Punjab. Chief Minister said the issue of riverine pollution had assumed alarming proportions and sources of water pollution need to be identified.

His ochre robes and saint-like demeanour make him look like one of the ubiquitous dera godmen in the Punjab countryside. But this baba stands apart.

The higher Bt cotton acreage and output will partially compensate the overall decline in cotton acreage and output in North India in 2008-09 (October-September), O P Agarwal, executive director, Cotton Association of India, said today. Lack of irrigation in Ganganagar cotton belt in Rajasthan led to a 35 per cent fall in cotton acreage from 368,000 hectares in 2007-08.

A majority of retail outlets of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) in Punjab and Haryana are facing an acute shortage of fuel for the past 10 days. The stock-transfer agreement with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has reportedly not been honoured by HPCL in other parts of the country (Bihar and Andhra Pradesh), forcing the IOC to restrict fuel supply to HPCL in the region.

Jangveer Singh The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) is getting pushed in the red to meet needs of non-paying consumers and earning the dubious distinction of topping the country in the purchase of costly power. According to data available with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), the board had to purchase power to avoid cuts in past few years. The board's power purchase has increased from three to four times since 2004-05. The board purchased power worth Rs 6,000 crore in 2007-08 compared to power purchases of Rs 2,230 crore in 2004-05.

Sukhdeep Kaur Nabha : With none other than the Prince of Wales eager to market the organic produce of some 30 villages here under his brand, Duchy Originals, it's return of royalty to Nabha in Punjab. The erstwhile princely state had its first brush with royalty way back in the year 1755 when Raja Hamir Singh established the state after declaring sovereignty by minting coins independent of the Mughals and the Afghans.