R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Passport office: Bowing to long-standing demands of local residents, the Central Government has given its go-ahead to open a passport office here at the earliest. The Regional Passport Officer of Jalandhar, Mr Amarjit Singh, on Wednesday surveyed various areas developed by Amritsar Improvement Trust and decided to open a temporary office at the centrally located Nehru Shopping Complex on Lawrence Road. The Chairman of the Improvement Trust, Mr Jugal Kishore Sharma, told newsmen that the office would start operating from the Nebru Shopping Complex from the first week of November.

BATHINDA
Vet pharmacists’ dharna: Activists of the Veterinary Pharmacists Union on Wednesday staged a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry here. Addressing the gathering, the union’s district president, Mr H.S. Chahal, demanded that veterinary pharmacist should be redesignated as veterinary livestock inspectors.

DERA BASSI
DRIVING LICENCES ISSUED: Over 200 driving licences were made at a “jan suvidha camp” here on Thursday. According to official sources, 111 mutations were also done at the camp, held under the supervision of the SDM, Mr Narinder Sangha. Similarly, affidavits of about 100 persons were attested by the officials concerned. A medical camp was also organised under the supervision of the SMO of the Civil Hospital, Dr Ram Kumar.

FATEHGARH SAHIB
EYE CHECK-UP CAMP: Lion’s Club, Sirhind-Aam Khas Bagh, organised an eye check-up-cum-eye-donation camp at Mahesh Hospital, Sirhind, on Thursday. A team of PGI doctors, led by Dr Jaspreet Singh, AP, and Dr Vidya, SR, along with the doctors of the Civil Hospital, Fatehgarh Sahib, checked the eyes of patients and motivated them for donation. Dr Rakesh Gupta, Civil Surgeon, inaugurated the camp.

OFFICE-BEARERS APPOINTED: The following were elected office-bearers of the management of historical Amar Shaheed Baba Moti Ram Mehra Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib in an election held here on Wednesday. Mr Karamjit Singh, Chairman, Mr Sarwan Singh Bholi, sr vice-chairman, Mr Sukhdev Singh Jhansal, vice-chairman, Mr Surinder Pal Thakur, secretary and Mr Gurdial Singh Johny, cashier.

HOSHIARPUR
Gangster nabbed: The district police has arrested a gangster, Dilawar Singh, of Mehlanwali. Mr R.N. Dhoke, SSP, Hoshiarpur, stated in a press note here on Wednesday that Dilawar Singh sold land in Mehlanwali village belonging to his cousin sisters on a fake power of attorney to Didar Singh and Pargat Singh of Khuaspur (Piplanwala) for Rs 1,52,500. The SSP further said that Dilawar Singh along with Balwinder Singh had strangled Mehar Chand, alias Pappi, following a dispute over looted money in 2003. Dilawar Singh had also cheated Nirmal Singh of Kahri of Rs 4.50 lakh.

Case registered: On a complaint by Mr Jaspal Singh of Beh Vidya village, the Talwara police has registered a case under Sections 363, 366 and 120 B of the IPC against Balwinder Singh, alias Bunit, of Halti Badkhar, PS Kangra, for allegedly abducting his 17-year-old daughter Indu Bala, according to police sources here on Wednesday.

Jagraon
PROBE SOUGHT: The Jagraon Vikas Manch has alleged that the contractors entrusted with undertaking various development projects by the municipal council have been using poor quality material. Representative of the munch met the SDM in this regard under the presidentship of Raman Kumar. The manch has demanded an inquiry in this regard.

BDPO ASSAULTED: The Dehlon police has booked Mohinder Singh, ex-sarpanch of Buthari, on the charge of stopping BDPO Gurjant Singh from performing his duty and allegedly assaulting him. A case has been registered.

PROTEST: Teachers of government schools held a protest against the alleged unconstitutional, anti-social and unscientific policies of the state government on a call given by the Government Classical and Vernacular Teachers Union. They observed Teacher’s Day as “Black Day”. They have been demanding equal pay scale for art and craft, PTI and sewing teachers, besides 50 per cent quota in promotions.

Ludhiana
Workshop: A cochlear implant education programme and workshop was held at Dumra Auditorium of the DMCH here recently. Around 115 patients were examined during the programme. One-to-one counselling of the patients was done by Dr Manish Munjal and Dr Kapil Dua. The programme was appreciated by the delegates and around 10 persons were enrolled for cochlear implant programme. Dr Hemant Chopra said a cochlear implant was a surgically implanted hearing aid that could help provide a sense of sound to a person who was profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing.

Seminar on VAT: Industrialist apprised Mr D.P. Reddy, Taxation Commissioner, Punjab, of the problems pertaining to taxation being faced by them at a seminar on VAT here on Tuesday evening. The seminar was organised jointly by the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association and the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Industrialists said there was a shortage of C forms that had to be produced along with the annual VAT statement by November 20. They said delays in getting VAT refunds were causing undue harassment to trade and industry. Besides, at sales tax barriers, goods were being detained on pleas like under valuation, they said. Mr Reddy assured industrialists that their problems would be resolved. 

GRD Director: Air Commodore (retd) Ajit Singh Sandhu has taken over as the Director of Gur Ram Dass (GRD) Academy here. Prior to this, he had managed more than 50 CBSE-affiliated senior secondary middle and primary schools. He was also Registrar of Sainik School, Balachadi, Jamnagar.

Phagwara
Plans to reduce sales tax: The Central Sales Tax would be reduced by 1 per cent from October 1, according to the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr Parampal Singh while addressing traders and industrialists at Phagwara on Wednesday. The current rate of tax is 4 per cent. He said the Union Government had finalised strategy for the amendment in the Central Sales Tax Act. It would be further reduced to 2% from April 1, next year and 1per cent in 2008. It would be abolished by 2009. He asked traders and industrialists to pay full taxes for the development of the country.

Dental programme: The Indian Dental Association, Phagwara, headed by Dr Sameer Kaura, organised a ‘Teacher Training Programme’ at local Arya Senior Secondary School on Wednesday. Dr Punit Girdhar, and Dr Kaura, gave information about oral hygienic measures at Arya School and Kamla Nehru Public School. Dr Kaura said the IDA would conduct school health programmes and free dental check-up camps in schools. Dr Harivansh Mehta, Director, Mr Surinder Chopra, Mrs Sunita Kapil, Principal, Kamla Nehru Public School were also present on the occasion.

Milk procurement: Milkfed is reconstituting milk powder and butter to meet the demand as there has been 20 per cent shortage in milk procurement in the state, according to Mr V.K. Singh, Managing Director, Milkfed, Punjab. “The situation has improved now,” said Mr Singh. Mainly dry weather in August hit procurement plans, forcing Milkfed to reconstitute butter and milk powder, produced in bulk last winter. Milkfed has a target to supply about 5 lakh litres milk daily. Following the shortage in procurement, Milkfed stopped production of ghee and butter. 

Phillaur
Cop dies during parade: Head Constable Jagdish Chand died of a heart attack during the morning parade at the Punjab Police Academy in Phillaur on Tuesday. According to sources, Jagdish Chand, a resident of Dabwali in Haryana, was doing an intermediate course in the academy since April. He fell unconscious during the parade. He was taken to the academy civil hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

HARYANA

AMBALA
SAVING SCHEME LAUNCHED: The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, Mr Amitabh Dhillon, on Thursday inaugurated a savings scheme for students by the Punjab National Bank, DAV College branch Ambala City. Branch Manager, Mr S.K. Chopra explained the benefits of the saving scheme to students and gave details about how to complete the formalities. He said students would learn to save which was very useful. He said students, whose accounts were opened, would be issued debit cards free of cost. Also, the accounts would be opened at zero balance for students. 

MLA ON LAW AND ORDER: Former Naggal MLA Jasbir Mallour on Thursday strongly criticised Bhupinder Singh Hooda government for failure in governance. Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Jasbir Mallour said the law and order situation had considerably deteriorated in the state and a college girl was recently raped and murdered in Shahabad, Kurukshetra. “People are worried about the prevailing crime situation in Haryana,” he said. He said no special package had been announced for Ambala even though Union Minister Kumari Selija presented “Ambala and two MLAs from here were ministers in the Haryana Government. “During the previous Chautala government, a large number of development works had been carried out,” he said.

KHUKHRAIN SABHA MEETING: A meeting of Khukhrain Sabha was held under the presidentship of Mr Om Prakash Malik to review the progress made in the construction of Khukhrain Bhawan on Thursday. Mr O.P. Malik said the Khukrain Bhawan was being built at Ambala Cantt on a piece of land measuring 2000 sq yards. The estimated cost of the project was Rs 2 crores, out of which Rs 50 lakh had been spent on the construction of a large community hall on the ground floor besides constructing office, store, kitchen and bathrooms. In the meeting, it was decided to construct a large hall on the first floor and a night shelter on the second floor.

BANKING AWARENESS DRIVE: DAV Senior Secondary Public School, Ambala City, and Punjab National Bank, DAV College Branch, Ambala City jointly organised a “Banking awareness Project” in the premises of the school. Mr Amitabh Dhillon, Superintendent of Police, Ambala, inaugurated the function. Mr I.S. Bedi, Lead Distt Manager, and Mr S.K. Chopra, Senior Manager of the Bank, apprised the students about education loan scheme and ‘Vidyarthi Deposit Scheme” of the bank.

Bhiwani
MC election: Election for the vacant seat of Ward No. 3 of the Buwani Khera Municipal Committee, in this district, will be conducted on October 4. The District Election Officer and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mahender Kumar, said here on Wednesday that nominations could be filed from September 12 to 16 and these would be checked on September 21. Election symbols would be delivered to candidates on the day of withdrawals. The District Election Officer has appointed the SDM, Bhiwani, Mr Yogesh Chander Bhardwaj as Returning Officer and Tehsildar Buwani Khera Atma Ram Bhadu as Assistant Returning Officer.

Hisar
Held: The police has arrested a local youth for using another person’s Internet broadband connection for commercial purposes fraudulently. The arrested youth, Tarun Malhotra, is a student of BBA at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology here. Dr Ajay Sharda, a resident of Urban Estate, had lodged a complaint in which he had stated that his broadband Internet connection bill for two months was exorbitant. He said his net usage was normal, but the bill, which should have been to the tune of a few hundred rupees, went up to Rs 81,000 for a single month. DSP (Detective ) Sunil Dalal said here that Tarun allegedly in connivance with BSNL employees, stole the password of Dr Sharda and used the net connection. The accused has been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Kaithal
Minister’s plea: Religious and other social organisations should come forward and join hands with government agencies to safeguard historical and religious places. This was stated by the Transport and Public Health Minister, Mr Randeep Surjewala, while addressing a gathering after opening the renovated Ganesh Tirath at Gyarah Rudri Shiv Mandir here on Tuesday. Mr Kavi Raj Sharma, president, DCC, presided over the function. 

Seized: The district police seized poppy husk valued at over Rs 3 lakh concealed in bags from a vehicle on Tuesday. Two persons have been booked under the NDPS Act, according to Mr Navdeep Singh Virk, SP.