Jalandhar, April 4
To lend a fresh lease of life to the state’s rural education, the Punjab Mandi Board plans to set up model schools in selected villages. These schools would be equipped with modern educational aids and would provide quality education to people at an affordable price.

“We are holding talks with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. These institutions would have state-of-the-art facilities to ensure better opportunities for rural population,” said board chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, who was here to assess the ongoing wheat procurement in grain markets.

Apart from venturing into the education sector, the board also plans to utilise huge sheds in different grain markets as indoor stadiums. “These sheds are used for just two or three months in a year. So, we want these sheds to be converted into stadiums,” added Lakhowal.

Regarding board’s functioning, he said the harassment of farmers in mandis would not be tolerated at any cost. “Our priority is to destroy the nexus between officials and commission agents. Also, to lessen the problems of farmers, it has been decided to organise auction of crops in mandis twice a day at 10 am and 3 pm, respectively.”

He added the board would collect more market fee this year as compared to the last year. “For the purpose, we have formed flying squads, which have been authorised to check quality of roads laid by the board,” said Lakhowal.

Kapurthala, April 4
In a sensational turn of events, Border Security Force (BSF) assistant commandant Nema Singh and another employee of the organisation Chaman Lal have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a heroin-smuggling racket. It all began with the Kapurthala police arresting two alleged smugglers Varyam Singh and Gurbaksh Singh, both residents of Jammu, on March 22 this year.

A police team, under the command of Kapurthala SSP Rakesh Aggarwal, then claimed to have recovered 9 kg of heroin worth Rs 9 crore in the international market from the two.

Their sustained interrogation led to a startling disclosure about a widespread network of heroin smugglers following which another alleged smuggler Balwinder Singh with Pakistan connections was arrested.

The police recovered a Pakistani cellphone sim card and fake Indian currency notes worth Rs 10,000 from his possession. Incidentally, his brother-in-law Sukhchain Singh was also arrested along with two Jammu-based alleged smugglers Subhash Chander and Nagar Mal.

It was Nagar Mal, acting as a linchpin of the racket, who allegedly cultivated links with assistant commandant Nema Singh and driver Chaman Lal.

These alleged smugglers used to “pay” hefty amounts to the said officer and the driver to get delivery of the heroin consignments from across the border, Aggarwal said.

“The assistant commandant and the driver were brought from Jammu yesterday and have been arrested under the relevant sections of the NDPS Act and anti-corruption Act,” said the SSP.

The SSP added that both accused had confessed to their involvement in the racket. Importantly, Lahore-based smuggler Zulfikar was said to be the point man behind this heroin racket. The police is following the leads and more accused were likely to be arrested soon.

Kapurthala, April 4
A dispute within the management has created tension on the campus of the College of Engineering and Management here.

One of the groups allegedly manhandled the students and staff on campus yesterday following which they held a dharna on the Fattu-Dhingra road outside the college and got lodged a complaint with the police.

The dispute pertains to a direct fight between Rakesh Bajaj, college chairman and president of the Sarvhitkari Educational Society, and Ashwini Puri, his brother-in-law and former director and partner in the college. While Puri is reportedly claiming his stakes in the college, Bajaj has rubbished his claims.

The dispute began on March 27 last year when Bajaj expelled Puri from his post saying that he did not fulfil the qualification criterion for the same as stated by the AICTE.

The staff members, including principal M.L. Ohri, vice-principal Munish Sethi, heads of the departments Rajneesh Kakkar, Vishal Sharma and Neeraj Awasthi, have been siding with college chairman Bajaj on the matter.

An FIR has been lodged in the police station. After a tense day on Tuesday classes were restored on Wednesday.

Jalandhar, April 4
Twentyone students from the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, attended a two-week training programme at Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology here.

Pursuing MSc in electronics and IT, these students were here to take a specialised training in emerging areas in the field such as VLSI design, digital system design, micro-controller programming, optical communication, mobile health and intelligent systems.

The students from the valley said that they had availed an opportunity to take hands on experience for the first time.

Director Moin Uddin and professor and head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering R.K. Saini coordinated the training programme. The students and an accompanying staff member also visited the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. 

Phagwara, April 4
Over a dozen cases of gastroenteritis have been reported from the Shivpuri locality of the town since Tuesday.

Two cases have been reported in the civil hospital, said Dr Adarsh Sood, senior medical officer of the civil hospital, Phagwara. The remaining cases have been reported in private clinics.

Residents said that contaminated water supplied by the Nagar Council was said to be the reason behind the outbreak of gastroenteritis.

They alleged that the water was muddy and bad odour emanated from it. They were forced to fetch water from hand pumps installed by some residents in the 
localities.

Only a fortnight ago, more than 100 cases of jaundice and diarrhoea were reported from Bhagatpura, Onkar Nagar and Rattanpura Mohalla of the town.

The periodic spread of these diseases within the town limits was being attributed to old, leaking sewerage lines that were laid several decades ago and needed replacement. Sewage from these pipes was getting mixed with the drinking water, official sources said. However, when contacted, Phagwara Nagar Council president Malkiat Singh Ragbotra said a committee of the health authorities and the Nagar Council was set up to ensure supply of safe drinking water.

Jalandhar, April 4
The construction of the long-awaited Domoria bridge would be completed within a period of four months, while the DAV College railway overbridge would be opened for public by the end of September.

This was announced by Punjab local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, who held a meeting with senior officials of the Muncipal Corporation, including commissioner S.S. Johl and deputy director Sarojini Gautam Sharda.

Kalia said the elevated road project would be reviewed and the untreated sewage water going in the Kala Sanghian drain would be treated and routed to the Folriwal drain at a cost of Rs 13 crore.

“This work would be completed within a period of two years. The MC has already got Rs 4 crore for this purpose,” said Kalia.

He said that corruption would not be tolerated at any cost in his department. 

Jalandhar, April 4
The ongoing tussle between students of the St. Soldier College of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Khambra, and their HoD was reportedly resolved today with their parents entering a compromise with the college chairman in a two-hour meeting held here this evening.

Even as the students, who had levelled allegations of sexual and mental harassment, ragging and character assassination, seemed upset over this development, college chairman Anil Chopra claimed that he had been successful in removing all grudges from minds of the students and their parents.

Terming the serious allegations as a non-issue, he said that the parents had demanded that the HoD, Kavita Kaushal, should be more lenient towards the students.

He said that he would arrange a meeting of the complaining students with the HoD on Friday to ensure that the classes begin on a smooth note from Monday.

Since Chopra clearly said that the HoD would not be suspended, it clearly signified a soft stand of the management towards her.

He said that he would simply convince her to avoid taking any harsh steps while ensuring discipline on the campus.

The four girls who had lodged their complaints, on the other hand, seemed to be under some kind of a pressure to reach a compromise.

Chander Rekha, a second year student and a complainant, said, “We have learnt that our parents have compromised with the authorities. We are not aware as to what lines have been chalked out for the same. We are not for it”. 

Jalandhar, April 4
Prof Moin Uddin, Director of the Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, today said that no incident of ragging had occurred on the campus during this session.

He said strict instructions had been issued in this regard and the staff was quite vigilant on the matter even at nights.

He said banners giving mobile phone numbers of the director, deans and heads of various departments had been put up around the buildings so that any incident of the sort could immediately be reported to the authorities by the freshers or other students for suitable action.

Phagwara, April 4
Newly appointed SDM Amarjeet Pal assured the residents of the town to provide transparent, honest and accountable administration.

Talking to newsmen after taking charge as SDM, Phagwara, this evening, Pa l said he would give top priority to solve problems of the people.

The SDM assured the residents for an early completion of the under-construction Satnampura railway overbridge, Mehtan-Chandigarh bypass flyover and new bus stand. He said all hindrances in the way of construction of the bus stand would be removed. Answering a question, Amarjeet Pal said he would instruct the officials concerned to actively work for the removal of encroachments.

Jalandhar, April 4
A bid to loot a Punjab and Sind Bank branch in Mota Singh Nagar locality on Tuesday night was made by some unidentified persons.

Though the robbers fled, they left behind an LPG cylinder and a gas cutter. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning when a sweeper found a window grill broken on the backside of the building. He reported the matter to the bank authorities who, in turn, informed the police.

Senior police officials reached the spot and initiated investigation into the incident. Services of sniffer dogs were also used by the police. — TNS