R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

fazilka
Pak releases UP man: A work supervisor engaged in relocation work of barbed wire fencing, who had strayed into Pakistan territory near Dilawar Bhaini check post two days ago, was released by Pakistan Rangers on Thursday. Ram Dutt (50), a resident of Etawah district (Uttar Pradesh), was stated to be under mental stress when he crossed over to the Pakistan territory.

phagwara
Policeman dies in mishap: A motorcycle-borne Head Constable, Manjit Singh, was killed when he was allegedly hit by a speeding vehicle on the Phagwara-Jalandhar road on Friday evening. He worked for the Phagwara police and lived in Mehli Gate locality. The police has registered a case against the driver who managed to flee from the spot.

HARYANA

Fatehabad
Army recruitment postponed: Due to heavy downpour in the area since Friday night, the Army authorities on Saturday had to postpone their recruitment process on the second day of the 12-day open recruitment rally in Fatehabad. Candidates from Sirsa district, who were to appear in physical tests for recruitment as soldiers (general duty) on Saturday will now get a chance on March 4. 

DEHRADUN

Dehradun
Film festival begins: The month-long International Film Festival began at Uttarakhand Graphic Era University on Saturday. The cultural head of the European Union, Dr Powell Smithwill, inaugurated the festival. As many as 12 films from Europe will be screened at the festival. Prof Kamal Ghanshala from Graphic Era University said the festival would help Indian viewers understand European films. He said several film makers from Europe would also participate in the festival.

Assembly buildings: A five-member team of the Uttarakhand MLA led by AP Maikhuri will visit different states in the country to study Assembly buildings. The team will visit Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. An engineer and an architect will also be accompanying them. The team will subsequently make suggestions for the proposed Assembly building at Gairsain in the state.

Electronic meters: Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) will purchase 3 lakh electronic meters shortly. The corporation plans to fully replace traditional meters with electronic meters in the state to avoid power line losses and pilferage. There are a total 15 lakh power consumers in the state and 25 per cent of them are still using traditional meters.

Protest on Feb 25: Ayurvedic pharmacists in the state will stage protest in the state on February 25. The pharmacists are demanding immediate filling of 180 vacant posts in the state. They also accused the state government of neglecting their genuine demand.

Staff boycott work: Class IV employees boycotted their works on Saturday in support of their demand for better pay and perks. The protesting employees, who also staged a demonstration in Dehradun, submitted a memorandum to the district authorities in support of their demand.

Nainital
Water, power supply disrupted The government has suffered a loss of Rs 4 crore due to snowfall in and around the city last week that damaged water, power and communication facilities, said Shailash Kumar, District Disaster Management Officer, Nainital.

Pithoragarh
1 held with leopard skin: The police has arrested a youth and seized a leopard skin from his possession near Askot on Friday night. It said the youth was trying to smuggle the skin to Nepal from near Askot. “The smuggler has confessed to killing the animal,” said Vijay Karki, SP, Pithoragarh.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)