R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Amritsar
NCC’S ROLE: The National Cadet Core (NCC) can be an effective institution to wean away youth from the clutches of drugs, provided the state government gave adequate funds. Brig H. S. Gill, Deputy Director General, Punjab Directorate, stated this on Tuesday while visiting the NCC Group Headquarters here.

Nawanshahr
EDUCATION KITS: Children studying in the anganwaris would be provided “education kits” under the early child care education scheme by the Sarv Shikhiya Abhiyan Authority in the district. As many as 548 education kits have been received for the purpose. Each education kit includes a camper, an educational calendar, 12 charts, a set of blocks, crayon colours, slate, chalk, ludo, modelling clay, puzzles, balls, toddler ring, etc, according to Mr Amrik Singh, District Coordinator, Sarv Shikhiya Abhiyan.

Phagwara
EFFIGY BURNT: ITI students on Wednesday burnt the effigy of the Punjab Government and staged a demonstration in protest against the recent lathe-charge on ITI trainees at Ropar and Kharar and decision to privatise the ITIs. Mr Karam Singh Sekhon, state committee member of the Punjab Students Union, and Mr Jatinder Singh Parhar, Ramgarhia ITI union president demanded action against those who were responsible for the lathi charge.

Phillaur
SEIZED: The police on Tuesday seized 1,500 kg of poppy husk near the Sutlej bridge and unearthed an inter-state racket of smuggling of intoxicants in the area on Tuesday. The smugglers have been as Sukhwinder Singh and Raju. Their third accompliance identified as Chhinda, however, escaped.

RAIL TRAFFIC: Down line rail traffic on the Jalandhar-Phillaur section remained disrupted for about two hours, following failure of the “inter-locking care system” at Chiherru railway station on Tuesday night. Railway sources said that the Delhi-bound 8102DN Moorie Express was detained outside Chiherru railway station for one hour and forty minutes, 4036DM Pathankot-Delhi Pooja Express was detained at Jalandhar Cantonment for one hour, while 4034DN Jammu Mail and 2904DN Golden Temple Express trains were detained at Jalandhar for 50 minutes.

HARYANA

Fatehabad
ACCEPTED: The Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has acceded to the demand of the local lawyers for additional land for the construction of chambers in the new judicial complex here. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Phateh Singh Dagar, announced this on Tuesday.

Rewari
DEMONSTRATION HELD: Residents of Chandawas village held a demonstration outside the office of the Xen, Public Health Department, on Monday in protest against the erratic water supply in the village. They complained that on account of leakage at several places in the pipeline recently laid by the Public Health Department over 300 families were facing an acute shortage of drinking water.

Sonepat
EXPLOSIVES SEIZED: The Ganaur police on Wednesday claimed to have seized a large quantity of explosives, including rocket launchers, lying on the GT Road, near Bari village, in the district. The explosives were found in 12 gunny bags and these were spotted by the police party.

RAIDS: Officials of the Agriculture Department conducted a number of raids on the shops selling pesticides, fertilisers and seeds at Gohana town, 35 km from here, on Wednesday and seized samples of these articles. The news about the raids spread like a wildfire. Shopkeepers closed their shops and fled.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
ENVIRONMENT CAMP: The Mahila Mandal, Jabbli, organised three-day environment awakening camps at Jabbli, Garnaal and Rajpura near here under aegis of the State Science and Technology and Environment Council under guidance of Primary Health Centre, Rajpura, in charge Dr Shivani Sharma.

Dharamsala
CONDEMNED: A meeting of the joint action committee of different trade unions of Kangra district met here on Tuesday to condemn the decision of the state government to impose tax on professionals and traders. Representatives of trade unions of BSNL, Post and Telegraph, banks, LIC, GIC, Education Department, advocates and other state governments took part in the meeting.

Shimla
EXHIBITION: The State Department of Languages, Art and Culture organised a painting exhibition to commemorate the birth anniversary of late Duckett John Prim, a famous artist from Palampur, who died in January this year. The exhibition was inaugurated by a senior artist Harish Chander Rao. As many as 20 creations of the master artist have been displayed at the exhibition.

Solan
CAMP: A blood donation camp was organised at the local ITI by the district Blood Bank Society on Tuesday. About 50 students from ITI, Dr Parmar University, local schools etc, including the chief guest, Mr Sharab Negi, ADC and Mr Shivender Dogar, principal, ITI donated blood.

ORGANIC FOOD: With an increase in chronic diseases caused due to pesticide residues in the agricultural and horticultural products the demand for organic food is growing by 20 per cent every year. The Vice-Chancellor of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Dr Jagmohan Singh, said this while emphasising the role of pesticide residues at a two-day all-India Network Project XIV annual workshop on pesticide residues being organised on the university campus on Tuesday.

Sundernagar
INAUGURATED: Mr Tek Chand Dogra, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, PWD, on Tuesday inaugurated the new transformer at Cheni Megal. The residents of Kandi Kamrunag and adjoining hamlets were earlier complaining about the low voltage prevailing in the area and the devotees from various parts of Himachal who used to visit Kamrunag temple were also facing problem as the path was not electrified.