The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AMBALA DIARY
Rotary organises talk on sleep disorders
Ambala, April 1
The Rotary Club of Ambala organised a talk on the subject of sleep disorders, diagnostics and management. The talk was delivered by Dr Ravi Bansal, who has more than two decades of experience in the production and management of sleep diagnostic equipment in the USA.

Best postman awards
Ambala, April 1
The Chief Postmaster General, Haryana circle, Mr T.R. Sharma, today announced the best postman awards. Mr Sharma said that the best postman award scheme was on half-yearly basis and one best postman of each postal division was awarded a cash prize of Rs 500 and an appreciation certificate.

BJP launches signature drive
Bhiwani, April 1
The Haryana BJP will submit the signature forms collected in protest against the Loharu violence to the Governor and demand a judicial enquiry into this matter on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar on April 14.

Voucher case: remand of 3 extended
Ambala, April 1
The Judicial Magistrate, Mr Najar Singh extended the judicial remand of the three accused, allegedly involved in the refund vouchers involving a sum Rs 2.26 crore of the Excise Taxation Department, Ambala.

Two bodies found from Yamuna
Tech Education Director shifted
Dist Cong chiefs
Bansal is BJP mandal chief
Garg is DCC chief

5 roadways depots to be privatised
Our Correspondent

Hisar, April 1
The Haryana Government is considering a plan to privatise roadways depots of Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Bhiwani and Narnaul districts. This was stated by Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora, while addressing mediapersons here today.

He was here to monitor the preparations for a state-level function of the Punjabi community being organised here on April 6 to facilitate Mrs Sumitra Mahajan, newly elected Rajya Sabha MP and Mr M. C. Gambhir, MLA from Yamuna Nagar.

He said the plan would be implemented soon. The government would not retrench any employee of the five depots. He said there would be no reduction in the existing routes. More buses would be made available on the routes of these five districts, he added.

Mr Arora said the government would also reduce road taxes in the depots by half. The government would also run its buses on inter-state routes.

	Break wheat-rice pattern, farmers told Tribune News Service Ambala, April 1 A large number of farmers and unemployed rural youth participated in farmers-training camps organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Ch Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Fazailpur, Tandwal, Sambalkha and Sherpur villages. The chief scientist, Prof K.L. Banga, called upon the farmers for changing the cropping pattern and adoption of pulses and oil seed crops, keeping in view the fast depletion of water resources and degradation of soil. He stressed upon practical application of new farming techniques suggested by the specialists in order to reduce the cost of production. He said that new farm implements like zero til drill and bed planer could be used for wheat production. A senior vegetable specialist, Dr D.K. Bhatnager, advised about the adoption of vegetables, horticulture and floriculture as an alternative to rice-wheat rotation. He dwelt upon the production technology of vegetable crops in the coming season. Dr H.P.S. Sahi, senior plant pathologist, cautioned wheat growers on the increasing trend of powdery mildew disease. An agronomist, Dr Bhag Singh Arya, emphasised on growing of maize, sugarcane, pulses and oil seed to break the barrier of rice-wheat rotation. He suggested that maize could be successfully grown in the Kharif as well as the rabi seasons and farmers could earn a lot from the sale of corn and baby corn.
	Shortage of storage space worries farmers Our Correspondent Ambala, April 1 Farmers and grain dealers of new Anaj Mandi have expressed their concern over the storage of wheat in one of the major sheds of the grain market in which a procurement agency has stored one lakh bags of grain. They apprehend inconvenience with the arrival of wheat shortly. It is the biggest mandi in the district where around six lakh quintals of wheat arrives during the season. Besides the farmers of the district farmers from numerous villages of Punjab also bring their produce in this mandi. The president of the new Anaj Mandi Grain Dealer Association Mr Duni Chand Danipur, said they had requested the authorities concerned several times but no action had been initiated so far. He said the District Food and Supply Department had stored wheat in the shed two years back which had not been moved since then. Besides, thousands of bags were lying in an open area adjoining the shed. He said the sheds had been constructed to protect crops from inclement weather. Since the shed was full, the farmers would be forced to place their crop in the open ground. He said a bumper crop was expected this time and the shortage of space would create a big problem for them. Mr Danipur said the market committee had issued them a circular to mark an identification of their shops on the bags purchased by the procurement agencies. He said it would not be possible for the dealers to implement it. He urged the district administration to lift the wheat stock before the arrival of wheat in the market. He also demanded proper arrangements for the regular lifting of wheat from the mandi during the season.
	Farmers worried over MSP Our Correspondent Bhiwani, April 1 Farmers of south Haryana are worried over undecided MSP of sarson as also problems owing to the procurement and maintenance of the produce. They are forced to sell their produce at cheap rates to millers and traders. However, the district administration has claimed that all arrangements have been completed for the procurement and storage of wheat produce.
	Doc booked for rape Our Correspondent Fatehabad, April 1 The police today booked a Hisar-based doctor for allegedly raping a Dalit woman near Rattia in the district. According to police sources, the victim, a resident of Budhlada in Mansa district, was suffering from some mental ailment and was under treatment of the accused doctor, who has a clinic at Dabra Chowk in Hisar. The woman went to the doctor for treatment yesterday. The doctor told her that he too was going towards Rattia in his car and would drop her there. After reaching Rattia at about 6 p.m., the doctor offered to drop her to Budhlada. The woman alleged that the doctor stopped the car at some lonely place and raped her. The police has registered a case under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act and started investigations.

AMBALA DIARY
Rotary organises talk on sleep disorders
Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

Ambala, April 1
The Rotary Club of Ambala organised a talk on the subject of sleep disorders, diagnostics and management.

The talk was delivered by Dr Ravi Bansal, who has more than two decades of experience in the production and management of sleep diagnostic equipment in the USA.

Dr Ravi Bansal said that sleep generally pertains to psychological and physiological aspects and it hinders the ability of a person to get restorative sleep. He said that sometimes sleep apnea takes place in which the cessation of breathing for a short period of about 10 seconds during sleep breaks the sleep structure and causes arousal from sleep.

Sleep apnea makes heart worked harder for pumping more blood which leads to high blood pressure and can lead to other cardiac problems. The people who snore during sleep are the primary sufferers of sleep apnea, he said.

Flower show

Mr R.S. Taneja, a keen gardener, has done Ambala proud by winning the second prize at flower show organised in Punjab. The prize was handed over by the chief guest MP, Mr Rinwa.

Cash awards for cleaners

Now a unique award scheme for cleanliness staff, Deputy Commissioner Mahinder Kumar said that every month a cash sum of Rs 1000, Rs 750 and Rs 500 will be given for good work to the cleaners.

The cash award will be given ward-wise after inspection. Also, if areas are found neglected, then immediate action will be taken against the cleaning staff. The sanitation inspection will be carried out by Sub Divisional Magistrate M.K. Ahuja and City Magistrate Pratima Chaudhary.

Mr Mahinder Kumar said that during the morning half, the sanitation staff will clean the roads while the drains will be cleaned in the afternoon.

Pending work in park

Green Circle, an organisation which is working towards betterment of the environment, has drawn attention towards the pending work in Indra Park.

Indra Park is maintained by the Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar the secretary of Green Circle, Mr R.P. Gupta, said that the fountain of the park needs repair while the upkeep of Rangshala has to be carried out. He said that sodium lights need to be installed and existing lamp-posts need to be repaired.

He suggested that the music system should be revived and the library building should be repaired, besides regular watering of plants and regular cleanliness within and outside the park.

Medical camp

Under a special programme for generating awareness as well as medical assistance against addiction, a medical camp was organised by Nasha Mukti Kendra at Julaha Basti, Ambala Cantonment.

About 21 persons expressed their desire to leave addiction at the camp while some others gave their assent to leave addiction through the kendra. Similar medical camps are going to be organised in different parts of the district.

Best postman awards
Tribune News Service

Ambala, April 1
The Chief Postmaster General, Haryana circle, Mr T.R. Sharma, today announced the best postman awards.

Mr Sharma said that the best postman award scheme was on half-yearly basis and one best postman of each postal division was awarded a cash prize of Rs 500 and an appreciation certificate. The factors for selection of the best postman included punctuality, discipline and behaviour, effective percentage of delivery of unregistered mails and accountable articles, number and nature of complaints and cooperation with other staff members.

The awardees include Mr Ashok Kumar Sharma of Yamunanagar, Mr Hari Kishan of Bhiwani HO, Mr Rishi Prakash of Faridabad HO, Mr Chote Lal of Gurgaon HO, Mr Brij Mohan of Fatehabad, Hisar division, Mr Lal Singh of Karnal HO, Mr Jai Lal of Kalyat Kurukshetra division, Mr Dharam Vir Singh of Rohtak and Mr Mohan Lal of Sonepat HO.

BJP launches signature drive
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, April 1
The Haryana BJP will submit the signature forms collected in protest against the Loharu violence to the Governor and demand a judicial enquiry into this matter on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar on April 14. This was stated by the former state president of the party here today.

He maintained that the anti-Chautala campaign of the party would continue till all 21 innocent persons arrested in connection with the Loharu incident are released.