Hoshiarpur, August 20
The Tanda police has seized 1.47 quintals of poppy husk from a Tata Sumo near animal trade market here.

The seizure took place when a police party signalled to stop the Tata Sumo at a special checkpost set up at the Darapur crossing, but the Sumo driver speeded up the vehicle. After a brief chase, the police intercepted it and seized 1.47 quintals of poppy husk from the vehicle.

However, the occupants of the jeep managed to flee under the cover of darkness. A case under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered in this connection.

Batala: SSP R.N. Dhoke disclosed here on Monday that the police seized 145 kg (six bags) of poppy husk from three persons at a naka put up under the supervision of Qadian DSP Ajaib Singh at Ghuman police station.

The three accused were identified as Sukhwinder Singh, alias Billa, Arjan Singh, alias Majha, a resident of Nangal village under Mehta police station (Amritsar), and Manohar Lal, a resident of Bujianwali village under Rangar Nangal police station.

A case has been registered under the NDPS Act at Ghuman police station.

In another incident, 1,620 gm of opium was seized from a person identified as Gulshan Kumar at a naka. A case has been registered against the accused, a resident of Una in Himachal Pradesh, under the NDPS Act at Sadar police station.

Jalandhar, August 20
Members of four FCI employees’ unions organised a dharna outside the regional office of the corporation here on Monday.

The protesters demanded regularisation of contractual workers who have worked for more than 240 days, payment of salaries withheld for the period from November 1, 1999, to March 31, 2000, payment of overtime for two months for the year 2000, addition of EPF deducted from 1980 to 1987 with the CPF and the minimum wages of Rs 50 to the assistant employees.

Members of the FCI and Food Agency Union Independent, FCI Handling Works Union and those supported by CITU and AITUC also attended the rally.

Hoshiarpur, August 20
Dikshant (9), a student of the third standard at the local Vidya Mandir School, foiled an attempt of two motorcycle-borne youths to kidnap him here this afternoon.

Budh Nath, father of Dikshant, who is a farmer and property dealer, told mediapersons that Dikshant was studying in the third standard at local Vidya Mandir School. Dikshant’s elder sister and cousin were also studying in the same school.

After the school, both brother and sister were waiting for their cousin at the school main gate. They noticed that two motorcycle-borne youths were keeping a watch on them. When the three were on their way to their houses located in the local Mohalla Katcha Toba, the youths tried to kidnap Dikshant at the telephone exchange crossing.

The pillion rider also tried to gag him with hand. But Dikshant pushed him with full force and rushed to a nearby tea stall and raised an alarm. Veer Singh, tea stall owner, ran towards the youths, but they sped away on their motorcycle.

On receiving information, the police reached the spot and started searching for the youths.

Hoshiarpur, August 20
Quashing the demand of the Punjab State Electricity Board, the district consumers forum has ordered the PSEB to pay Rs 1,000 as litigation charges to a complainant.

The PSEB had sent a notice in January 2007 to complainant Gurbachan Singh, a resident of local Court Road, and demanded Rs 57,807 in payment of an electricity bill.

Claiming the demand to be illegal, Gurbachan Singh filed a complaint against the PSEB with the district consumers forum in which he said the board had failed to act even when the meter installed in his shop was not functioning properly. The PSEB failed to replace the same and issued electricity bills on an average basis, he said.

The complainant said he approached the PSEB authorities for making corrections in the bills, but to no avail.

The PSEB took the plea that during checking by the executive engineer (enforcement), the load was found 13.73 KW against the sanctioned load of 8.893 KW.

On the request of Gurbachan Singh the load was sanctioned to the existing load. Thereafter, on Gurbachan Singh’s complaint, the meter was replaced. Again the meter was found D-code (dead) which was again replaced.

The Punjab State Electricity Board further pleaded that the arrears were detected by the audit party and thereafter the recovery notice was issued.

The consumers forum held that the PSEB failed to issue separate electricity bills, giving complete details of charges levied on the complainant as per instruction 124.1 of the sales regulations.

It was under legal obligation to give a notice to the consumer prior to issuance of a recovery notice.

Phagwara, August 20
Minister for medical education and parliamentary affairs Tikshan Sud has flayed the Left parties for their threats of withdrawing support to the UPA government at the Centre over the nuclear treaty with the US. Talking here today, the minister asked the Left parties to go ahead with the withdrawal of support to prove their stand on the treaty.

Sud alleged that the Left parties were addicted to power and their stand on the nuclear deal was meant only to enhance their share in the booty of “proxy governance in the central government.” Sud rued that Dr Manmohan Singh was speaking the language of an American senator rather than behaving as the country’s Prime Minister. He alleged the PM had bartered the strategic interests of the country by sacrificing interests of a sovereign country which could not be permitted.

“The so-called threat by the Left parties and shadow boxing by the Congress was meant to hoodwink the UPA allies so as to keep them together in the face of an artificial threat to the government at the Centre,” said Sud.

He said by giving hollow threats of withdrawing support to the government and then allegedly negotiating their “price” with the government, the Left parties were making a mockery of the parliamentary system of governance.