Few takers for HP varsity programme

The Personal Contact Program (PCP), of the International Centre for Distance Education Open Learning (ICDEOL), Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, turned out to be a farce as only three students of M.Com turned up for the classes. Distant education: An almost empty classroom at Amritsar of the distant education course offerd by Himachal Pradesh University. — Photo by RS

Hotelier Younis awaits Pak guests

Nostalgia keeps Mohammad Younis and his faithful old employees upbeat even in these difficult times. Once a prosperous, crowded, full-to-the-brim Younis Hotel misses its Pakistani customers, who patronised the establishment till the Indian Government banned their entry after Operation Bluestar in 1984. The only Muslim hotel owner of the city, near Gol Hatti crossing of Hall Bazaar, Mohammad Younis remembers the glory days when his hotel used to crowded and all 30 rooms booked.

Forgotten glory: A forlon employee at Younis Hotel in Hall Baazar. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

Father smells foul play in son’s murder case
Mr Pargat Singh (55), father of Gurmaninder Singh (24) who was shot dead two weeks back, has expressed dissatisfaction over the action taken by the police. The police has registered a case against only two while four persons were involved in the murder, he added.

NRI heads California Medical Association
Dr Anmol Singh Mahal, city-born NRI based in the USA, created a history of sorts when he took over as the president of the California Medical Association (CMA), a prestigious and influential medical organisation.

Vikas Manch for review of Halwara airport 
Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), an NGO for the development of the holy city, urged the Central Government to reconsider the decision to develop and upgrade Halwara Airport near Ludhiana to international standards.

Bamboo ladders is good business
Climbing up has been made easy by advancement in technology in the form of lifts and escalators. However, the ladders made from bamboo still have good market in the city.

Teachers support striking staff
The Teachers Union Khalsa College, Amritsar, has decided to support the non-teaching staff, which has been on strike for the past four days. They are protesting against the non-payment of arrears and management’s decision against paying them the salary for the one-day strike.

Parking lot vacant while cars clog roads

The six-floor parking of the Amritsar Improvement Trust developed in Nehru Shopping complex on Lawrence road finds no takers. The Improvement Trust spent crores on the construction but has failed to move the vehicles parked on the roadside into the more than adequate parking space. Empty stands: There seem to be no takers for the multi-level parking area in the Nehru shopping complex in Amritsar. — Photo by RS

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Stress on prevention on Diabetes Day
The preventive aspect was to the fore on the World Diabetes Day on November 14. A number of hospitals and social organisations launched a rally to educate people about the problems and effects of diabetes.

MS Randhawa Award for Inderjit
Dr Inderjit Singh, a teacher in Baba Sohan Singh Senior Secondary School, Bhakna Kalan, Amritsar, has been given the MS Randhawa Award (Gian Sahit)-2006 by the Language Department, Punjab, for his book ‘Rahu-Reetan Te Teohar’ (Ritual and Festivals).

Awareness rally