R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Bathinda
One held with poppy husk: Bathinda police on Wednesday arrested a person with seven kilograms of poppy husk. The accused has been identified as Balkar Singh, a resident of Kotkapura. Police officials said the accused was arrested from the T-point Amarpura Badal road, Bathinda. The accused was carrying poppy husk in a bag which was frisked during a special naka. A case in this connection has been registered under various Sections of the NDPS Act at the canal colony police station.

Purse snatched from woman on Bhatti road: Three unidentified persons have been booked by the police for snatching purse of a woman from the local Bhatti road. In his complaint to the police, Narinder Sharma of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, said that he along with his wife was on way back home from the market and the three youngsters on a bike snatched purse of his wife. The purse contained a mobile phone and Rs 500 in cash. A case has been registered in this connection.

Patiala
IAS aspirant ends life: Upset with his performance in the mains of the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination, Narinder Singh (27), a resident of Mansa, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison here on Wednesday. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

SUNDERNAGAR
Youth killed: A youth was killed in a road accident at Bhor, near here, on Tuesday evening when a speeding car collided with his motor cycle. According to the police, the deceased was identified as Puran Chand (20) of Balat village. The youth succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital. 

DEHRADUN

DEHRADUN
UCOST evaluation meeting: The Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology (UCOST), Dehradun, on Wednesday, organised an evaluation meeting with regard to new research projects. A total of 42 researchers presented their life sciences projects. A high-level evaluation committee, headed by Prof AN Purohit, former Vice-Chancellor HNB Garhwal University, evaluated these projects. Dr DP Uniyal, senior scientific officer and public relations officer, UCOST, said after the review and the recommendation of the committee, the selected projects would be funded by the UCOST. He said the evaluation meeting for projects linked to chemical sciences and earth sciences would take place on September 29 and September 30, respectively. 

Blood donation: A voluntary blood donation camp was organised at Doon University, Dehradun, by the IMA Blood Bank of Uttarakhand. The camp was held on the occasion of the NSS Day inauguration ceremony at the university. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Girijesh Pant, inaugurated the camp. As many as 69 persons donated blood. 

Eye camp: Military Hospital, Dehradun, will organise a two-day eye check-up camp for visually impaired ex-servicemen on September 29. Lt Col Avinash Mishra from Military Hospital, Dehradun, said the camp was expected to cover a total of 300 elderly visually impaired ex-servicemen. They will also be given issued free medicines.

Kumaon Briefs
Joshi is Champawat DM: Ashish Joshi has taken over as the 14th District Magistrate of Champawat district. He has stated that resolving the problems of the masses would be his top priority, along with ensuring maintenance of proper law and order in the district. He has promised to personally visit the remote parts of the district to ensure that the developmental works being done are properly monitored. An IAS officer of the 2006 batch, Joshi is a resident of Chamoli district.

Sainik welfare camp: A sainik welfare camp will be organised at Bankatiya Inter-College in the Sukhidang area of Yamlatal in Champawat district on October 12. Ex-servicemen, including the pensioners of the Second World War would be provided verification certificates and other relevant documents at the camp. According to the District Sainik Welfare Officer, Colonel (retd) Amitabh Negi, those attending the camp would also be apprised of the various welfare schemes started by the state government for the ex-servicemen.

IAF recruitment drive: A recruitment drive for enrollment of personnel into the Indian Air Force (IAF) would be held at the PNG Degree College in Ramnagar in Nainital district on October 12. This drive is being held for the candidates wanting to join the Air Force from various districts of Kumaon and Pauri Garhwal district of the Garhwal region. District Magistrate at Almora DS Garbyal has written to all the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) in the district to ensure that proper information campaign is carried out in their respective areas so that maximum number of youths can avail the employment opportunity.

Adventure sports centre: An adventure sports centre is scheduled to come up in the Bhimtal area of Nainital district soon. The centre is to be set up with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank. A four member team of officials from the bank is learnt to have already carried out a survey in the area. The centre would aim towards popularising adventure sports activity in the region, besides making the games a tourist attraction also. It is learnt that the state government plans to open 18 such centres across Uttarakhand.

Monkeys trapped: Forest Department officials trapped 16 monkeys and apes in co-ordination with officials of the local Municipal Council. They were trapped from the Old Rajbhawan, Snow View and Birla Vidya Mandir areas and were later released in a forest area located at a distance from the town. The Lake City has been grappling with the menace of langurs and monkeys who have been biting people.

(Compiled by Rajeev Khanna)