The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HARYANA

REWARI
Milk-yield competition: The milk-yield competition of murrah buffaloes will be held in veterinary hospitals in Guraora from October 30 to November 1, in Rewari from November 3 to 5 and in Khori from November 6 to 8 in the district under the auspices of the state animal husbandry and dairy development department. Deputy commissioner Chander Prakash said owners of murrah buffaloes with daily milk output of 11 kg to 15 kg, milk yield of 16 kg to 20 kg and with a milk produce of over 20 kg would be given cash incentives of Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000, respectively.

Employment schemes: The Rewari zila parishad has submitted Rs 25 crore village-level employment schemes under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) to the union government for approval and allocation of the requisite funds. This was stated by zila parishad chief Satish Yadav at a press conference here on Sunday. As regards his prospective electoral strategy, he announced that he would surely contest the next assembly elections from the Rewari constituency.

‘Expedite work on college’: The Dakshin Haryana Vikas Lok Sangh (DHVLS), a voluntary organisation, has made a written representation to the irrigation and PDW minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, seeking expeditious commencement of the construction work of Government College for Women either in Sector 3 or Sector 18 here. The general-secretary of the DHVLS, Prof Ranbir Singh Yadav, said it was something deplorable that the foundation stone laying ceremony of the college was lying in pending while the state government had allotted 5 acres in Sector 3 and 8 acres in Sector 18.

ROHTAK
UN Day celebrations: The country needs to be self-sufficient and totally independent in the matter of energy, if it wants to emerge like a superpower in various aspects of development. The importance of the nuclear energy sector cannot be overlooked and the recent nuclear deal with the US has been a welcome move in this direction. This was stated by Lt O.P. Kaushik, retired vice-chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, while addressing a gathering on the occasion of UN Day celebrations in the university here on Friday. He said the country should put more efforts to harness all conventional and no-conventional sources of energy.

SONEPAT
Sugar mill elections: The elections for the board of directors of Ch Devi Lal Cooperative Sugar Mill, Ahulana, (Gohana), will be held on December 7 between 8 am and 4 pm. Reservation of zones has been introduced for the first time in the mill’s elections. The deputy registrar of Cooperative Societies, Karnal, will be the returning officer. According to the election schedule, the nominations for the seven zones would be filed in the office of the RO in Karnal on November 11 between 10 am and 3 pm and scrutiny of the nominations will be done on November 12 and November 14 has been fixed for withdrawal of nomination forms.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CHAMBA
Sweet-sellers to meet CM: The local sweet-sellers association has decried the action taken by officials of the Health Department conducting raids on their shops. They resolved to meet Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal during his ensuing visit to Chamba so that they could also put up their grouse.

YC supports PTA teachers: The district unit of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress (YC) has come to the fore to muster support-giving impetus to the ongoing agitation of the PTA teachers in the state. Liyakat Khan, president of the local Youth Congress, alleged that the BJP government in the state was acting with malicious and vindictive attitude and conducting probe into the appointments of PTA teachers with discrimination. He blasted the BJP government for describing the PTA teachers’ appointments as ‘uncalled-for’ to disparage the image of the Congress rule.

Hamirpur
2 get life term for murder: District and Sessions Judge, Hamirpur, R.L. Raghu has sentenced two persons to life imprisonment for murdering a youth at Sujanpur in April this year. In a judgment delivered on Saturday, the judge found Nikhil Soni and Sanjeev Soni, both from Sujanpur, guilty of murdering Rajesh Kumar on April 16. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each on the accused.

NAHAN
One killed: Puran Chand, a resident of Pallar village, was killed on the spot and four others were injured on Saturday when a Bolero Camper (HP18-4545) engaged with Manglam Hydro Project, working in Lana Pallar, fell into a deep gorge on the Sangrah-Lana Pallar road, near Dungi village. The accident took place as the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve. The villagers and a police party rushed to rescue the occupants. Driver Dinesh, Satpal, Deshraj and Bir Singh were rushed to the Sangrah primary health centre. After first aid all injured were reportedly referred to Nahan district hospital.

Fire officer injured: D.R. Verma, fire officer posted at Nahan fire brigade office, on Sunday received multiple injuries when he accidentally fell from the official vehicle while on way to Bohlio to rescue a tractor driver, who fell into a deep trench along with his tractor. The officer was immediately rushed to Nahan district hospital where he was admitted for treatment. Doctors attending to him said he had been kept under observation although he is out of danger.

SHIMLA
Haj camps: Training camps will be organised for all Haj pilgrims from October 27 to November 1 in various towns of Himachal. A government spokesperson said here on Saturday that the camps would be held at Nalagarh, Chamba, Nahan and Paonta on October 27, 29, 31 and November 1, respectively. He said meningitis vaccine would be administered during the training programme and the pilgrims of Shimla and Una would have to go to Nalagarh for the purpose.

Admission date extended: Himachal Pradesh University has extended the last date for receipt of admission and renewal forms for postgraduate classes through distance learning. Prof N.K. Sharda, director of the National Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL), said now admission can be sought to the postgraduate courses up to November 5.

Science fair: A three-day long science fair is being organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Sansthan at Saraswati Vidya Mandir School. Horticulture minister Narender Bragta inaugurated the fair here on Saturday. More than 300 students from all over the state are participating in the fair.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

JAMMU
IRP constable dead: A constable of the Indian Reserve Police (IRP) died after he fell from a running train in Kathua district on Sunday. Suran Singh of the 11 Battalion of the IRP slipped from the moving DMU train at Dayalachak railway station in the district and was crushed under it, the police said. He died on the spot.

Ambulance donated: Former minister Raman Bhalla announced to donate an ambulance to the Trust of Reviving Ancient Indian Therapies (TRAIT) on the occasion of Dhanwantri Jayanti on Sunday. Speaking at a function at the organisation’s head office, Bhalla praised the trust for taking an initiative for reviving the ancient Indian system of medicines. Chairman, Shri Om Trust, Devender Kumar deliberated on different aspects of the Indian system of medicines.

Omar Abdullah visits Leh: NC president Omar Abdullah visited Leh today. Addressing various deputations he said the NC was concerned about the plight of the people staying in the far-flung areas and blamed the erstwhile coalition government for neglecting such areas for the past six years. Omar asked the people to vote his party to power so that their sufferings could be mitigated.

Rajouri
DC’s directions: Rajouri DC Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed has directed officers to visit every tehsil/ block at least once a month to redress public grievances, besides monitoring attendance in offices. They have been directed to furnish their tour programmes as well as inspection reports to the deputy commissioner.

SRINAGAR
Blind murder solved: The police on Sunday solved the blind murder case of a 27-year-old woman, who was allegedly killed by her husband, with the help of four others in Shopian district. Javid Iqbal, SP, Shopian, said the woman’s body was recovered from a field at Ribban village on September 24. She was later identified as Hasina Akhter, wife of Farooq Ahmad. The investigating team questioned Farooq and his nephew Tawseef Ahmad. However, during the questioning, their statements did not match each other. Later, they admitted to have killed Hasina with the help of three more persons for her alleged illegal affair with a villager. Farooq, Tawseef and three others have been arrested.

Banned crops destroyed: Police and Excise Department officials destroyed banned crops over 100 kanals in the Kashmir valley on Sunday. Following a tip-off, the police and excise personnel conducted raids in different areas in Ganderbal district. During the raids, they destroyed the banned crops. Cases had been registered against the landowners. However, no one was arrested.

Kashmiri language: Kashmiri language will be introduced in public and private schools from the next academic session, an official spokesman said on Sunday. “The government is serious to introduce Kashmiri language from classes 8 to 12 from the next academic session”, G.A. Peer, secretary, School Education, said at a function organised by the Board of School Education (BOSE). Prominent educationist Aga Ashraf Ali was the chief guest. Chairman, BOSE, Desh Bandu Gupta said the board had prepared Kashmiri text books up to class 12 barring class 10, which was in the pipeline. He said the board was also developing textbooks on Dogri, Pahari, Gojri and Punjabi. Mementos and certificates were awarded to noted writers like Rehman Rahi, Mohammad Zaman Azurda and Bashir Ahmad Dar.

Students back from tour: A group of 20 students returned here after a two-week tour of Rajasthan, which was organised by the Army under its Sadbhavana project. The students from Government High Schools of Balhama, Khrew, Wuyan and Zawoora visited Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Barmer and Jaisalmer. The entourage left here on October 10 for Jammu and thereafter left for Jaipur by train on October 11. The aim of this tour was to expose the young minds to the colours and culture of Rajasthan.

Udhampur
Self-rule document ‘anti-national’: The self-rule document released by the PDP has triggered a controversy in the state as the Congress and the BJP have termed the proposal as “anti-national” and warned the Centre against, what they called, the nefarious game plan of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Although the BJP's opposition to self-rule was on expected lines, the Congress has also taken a serious note of this proposal and dubbed it as a “pro-secessionist” document. Addressing a public meeting at Udhampur, Lok Sabha member Choudhary Lal Singh demanded disbanding of the PDP for its anti-national activities. Lal Singh appealed to the people to boycott the policies of the PDP and its leaders.

DEHRADUN

Dehradun
Poetry recitation contest: An inter-section poetry recitation competition was held at Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) here on Sunday. Chandragupta section bagged the first position.In the junior category, Rahul Dev Verma stood first.Cadet Surya Prakash was second while cadet Ramakrishna Sharma was adjudged third. In the senior's cadet Aman Thakur of Pratap section bagged the first prize, Cadet Vignesh of Shivaji section was second and cadet Bhupendra Chand also of Pratap section was third.

Function organised: To mark 300 years of Gurta Ki Gaddi, a two day programme was organised at Gurudwara Bhai Lakkhi Shah. During the programmes, Hazoor raagi Jatha, Bhai Harcharan Singh (Darbar Sahib, Amritsar), Bhai Harcharan Singh Heera (Delhi), Bhai Rajinder Singh (Kurukshetra) and Bibi Baljit Kaur (Talwada) recited Shabad Kirtan. Various dignitaries including mayor, Vinod Chamoli, MLA, Dinesh Aggarwal, Nityanand Swami, Charan Singh Nayak, Jaimal Singh, Gurdial Singh, Giani Sadhu Singh, Manjit Singh Raja and Sulekh Chandra attended the programme.

Regional potpourri
Educating people to fight female foeticide, respect elders

Launched in February 2008 the Pavitra Foundation of Prof Anirudh Yadav (70) has been gaining ground in the Ahirwal region of Haryana and other states of the country. It aims at educating people about exploitation in the name of astrology , palmistry, fortune-telling and motivating them against female foeticide, alcoholism, dowry, neglect of elders and disregard of values.

Prof Anirudh Yadav Prof Yadav retired in March, 1997 after 34 years’ service as lecturer of military science in several Haryana colleges. He was witness to exploitation of people, particularly women , by astrologers in the Rewari-Gurgaon region. Besides declining sex ratio due to female foeticide, deaths of brides at the hands of greedy in-laws, misery of families affected by alcoholism, plight of elderly persons in families and cases of rape and molestation had impelled him to do something for society. Prof Anirudh Yadav

Prof Yadav felt education could save young generation from getting into bad habits .

Prof Yadav and his wife Pavitra Yadav thought over it and a 44-page booklet “ Hamare Andh Vishvas avam Kurutian-Aik Vishleshan”( Our irrational beliefs and social evils- an analysis), was produced in February, 2008.

A few months before the publication of the booklet Prof Yadav’s wife Pavitra died in September, 2007.

Prof Yadav set up the Pavitra Foundation in her memory. The booklet deals with social evils and their impact on society especially younger generation.

Prof Yadav lectured in over 12 senior secondary schools and colleges of the Rewari region and distributed his booklet among students free of cost.

Review of the booklet in Hindi journals also brought him requests for the booklet from individuals and social organisations of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal , Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa and Bengal.

Happy with the success of his mission of educating and saving the young generation from social evils, Prof Yadav said 16,000 copies of the first edition of his booklet had been distributed among students and others free of cost. The foundation plans to bring out second edition of 24,000 copies of the booklet soon.

Honour for social service

J. C. Nagpal is honoured for social service, in New York

Social service brought reward to social activist Jagdish Chander Nagpal (82) of Abohar who after exploring business prospects in Chandigarh has continued community welfare activities in his hometown.

Nagpal was recently honoured by the Nassau County, Government of New York.

It was great day for Indians in New York. The award was presented to Nagpal on behalf and under the official seal of the County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

The citation, read by Mohinder Taneja County Director of Minority Affairs, said “You, Jagdish, have worked diligently for causes and ideals which uphold the principles of human decency; you have demonstrated selfless commitment to the community and its residents that warrants public gratitude.”

“Jay Cee” ( to friends) was earlier honoured with the “Indira Gandhi National Lifetime Achievement Award” in India.

Deputy consulate general of India in New York Dr A. M. Gundane was the chief guest of the function. He emphasised promotion of values of the giving and selflessness in society. Prominent persons at the function included Nassau County Human Rights chairman Surinder Chawla and NRI hotelier Akbar Himani. The ceremony was conducted under the auspices of the Kundan and Santosh Jasuja Foundation which adheres to Indian values — promoting love for the homeland in all events.

Shudh Jasuja national vice- president of the Indian National Overseas Congress said Jay Cee had promoted a marriage place in Abohar town for free-of-charge use by ordinary families, free homoeopathic dispensary and public park in Abohar. Recently Nagpal developed another marriage place on the NH 10 also for small marriage functions. He had organised many medical camps and provided services of senior doctors from the PGI Chandigarh and other super-speciality hospitals. Medicines too were provided free of cost.

Contributed by Nawal Kishore Rastogi and Raj Sadosh