R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
ANNOUNCED: The local Delhi Public School has announced introduction of medical and non-medical streams from the ninth class in the school. In a press note issued here on Monday, Ms Jyotsna Sobti, Principal, said a professional counsellor had been called to provide counselling to parents to check the intelligence and interest of their ward.

DISTANCE EDUCATION: Swami Vivekanand Girls College organised a function to inaugurate its newly started distance education courses, including PostGraduate diploma in journalism and mass communication here on Monday.

Jalandhar
HOMAGE PAID: Lt Gen Dev Raj Singh, Chief of Staff, (Central Command) and Colonel of the Sikh Regiment was given guard of honour by the 5th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment during his visit to the Sikh Battalion in the Western Sector here on Monday. Gen Raj Singh paid homage to the martyrs of the battalion.

Muktsar
COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED: Mr B.R. Banga, Deputy Commissioner, has constituted a four members committee headed by District Transport Officers Rajiv Prashar to solve the problems of students and private bus operators. In a press note here on Monday, Mr Banga said private bus operators had been directed to allow at least 10 students to travel in each bus. He added that private bus operators had also been warned the any body found negligent would be taken to task.

Phagwara
CULTURAL MELA: Punjab Radio, London and Sangeet Darpan,a Punjabi magazine, will hold a cultural mela called "Mela Phagware Da" in collaboration with Punjabi Kala and Sahit Kendar at Phagwara on October 31. This was stated by Mr Surjit Singh Ghuman, owner of Punjab Radio, Mr H.S. Preet, Chief Editor, Sangeet Darpan and Mr Ravinder Singh Rai, president of the Kendar here on Monday.

NABBED: The police arrested Sukhdev Kumar alias Situ of Shivpuri Mohalla and seized 180 kg of poppy husk from his possession. Two of his accomplices escaped.

BURGLED: Valuables worth Rs 1 lakh were stolen from a house in Onkar Nagar on Tuesday. It was learnt that the owner of the house, Mr Harjinder Chauhan, and his family had gone to their native village. Jewellery, two cameras and Rs 9000 were stolen. A case has been registered.

Ropar
STRANDED: Hundreds of passengers remained stranded for several hours due to derailment of a goods train near Mianapur railway station here on Monday. The incident took place on Monday when the train carrying crashers was on its way from Ropar to Ambala. Buses were arranged by the railway authorities to take the passengers to their respective places.

Samana
APPOINTED: Mr Anil Kaushik, chairman of the All-India Human Rights Watch has appointed Mr Surinder Singh Puri president of the organisation’s block unit for Samana subdivision.

HARYANA

Kaithal
CANCELLED: The District Food and Civil Supply Department has cancelled the licence of a brickkiln and forfeited security totalling Rs 5000 after deduction of irregularities during checking. This was stated by Mr H.S. Malik, Deputy Commissioner, here on Monday. He said nine ration depot had been suspended as these depot holders had not got their scales and weights authenticated from the Weight and Measures Department. The security of other three other depots following detection of irregularities had also been forfeited, he added.

Panipat
SUICIDE BID: A youth of Rasalu village tried to end his live by consuming a poisonous substance on Monday night. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital where his condition was reportedly out of danger.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Hamirpur
LAUDED: Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar lauded the role of Himotkarsh, a social organisation, for its service of mankind. He was speaking on the occasion of a district-level prize distribution function of the organisation here on Monday. Mr Hari Singh Kunwar, president of the state unit of the organisation said the organisation had been working for the social cause for the past 30 years.

Mandi
PROTEST: The art and craft students staged a protest march in the town on Tuesday demanding that the diploma be recognised as career of over 100 students was at stake. The SFI led the protest march and raised slogans against the government, and said that the MoU signed by the state with the Centre on the fiscal reforms would hit the unemployed youth in the state, said the SFI spokesperson.