Phagwara, September 15
The entire law enforcement agencies of the district administration would be geared up to ensure strict adherence to Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Act. This was announced by Kapurthala deputy commissioner JM Balamurugan and SSP Rakesh Aggarwal here on Friday.

The twin acts prohibit production, manufacturing, selling, purchase, import or export any narcotic or psychotropic substance and distribution and sale of drugs and cosmetics which are prone to abuse.

Both the officers disclosed that necessary steps would be taken to ensure that drugs are not sold without valid licence and proper medical prescription.

The enforcement machinery would be sensitised and well-prepared to deal with the menace.

They further said the district red cross society has chalked out a Rs 183.32 - lakh project which aims at rehabilitating addicts.

A new drug de-addiction centre, ‘Navjiwan Kendra’, will start operating from next week at Kapurthala.

The DC and SSP exhorted philanthropists to come forward and initiate a war against social evils.

Balamurugan said to encourage youth towards games, sports centres would be set up in 150 villages of the district. He said another drug de-addiction centre would soon come up at Phagwara.

SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said the cops have been able to seize drugs and intoxicants worth Rs 15 crore in the district this year. Earlier, the officials had to face the barrage of questions from public during the ‘Janata Ki Adalat’ programme organised by JCI Phagwara Elite. The residents were particularly unhappy over illegal encroachments, traffic chaos and lack of sanitation in the town.

Phagwara SDM Amarjit Paul disclosed that Satnampura railway overbridge would be completed by December 31, while the Mehtan bypass flyover would be ready by October end. He added that 80% of the construction work on the new bus stand has been completed till date.

Hoshiarpur, September 15
Activists of the BJP led by their district president, Hoshiarpur, Vijay Aggarwal, today took out a protest demonstration against the chairperson of the UPA constituents and AICC president the AICC Sonia Gandhi for submitting a controversial affidavit on Ram Setu in the Supreme Court of India which badly hurt the sentiments of the Hindus.

They assembled at their office at Shastri Market and took the procession to the Clock Tower crossing where they burnt the effigy of Sonia Gandhi. They were demanding an apology from the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi.

Activists of the BJP and various Hindu organisations led by MLA Amarjit Singh Sahi also demonstrated and burnt effigy of Sonia Gandhi at Hajipur crossing, Dasuya, 40 Km. from here.

Effigies of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh were also burnt at Hajipur by the BJP activists at the bus stand. They also set ablaze the photocopies of affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court.

Hoshiarpur, September 15
Saroop Singh, resident of Sakrulio village has accused his daughter’s in-laws of harassing her for more dowry.

On his complaint, police on Friday booked Harnam Singh, his father Gurbax Singh, mother Gurbachan Kaur, brother Lakhwinder Singh, Anoop Singh and his wife Rani, all of Bebe Nanki.

Saroop said soon after his daughter Paramjit Kaur’s marriage to Harnam, the latter started demanding more dowry.

Jalandhar, September 15
The narcotic cell of the Kapurthala district police today nabbed a drug peddler from the Basti Bawa Khel locality of Jalandhar.

The narcotic cell in-charge Surjeet Singh had sent a policeman under the guise of a customer to the drug peddler Regan, a resident of Maan Singh Nagar at Ladhewali, to nab him red handed. As soon as the fake customer purchased 200 gram opium from the drug peddler, the latter was arrested by a team of the narcotic cell.

Later talking to The Tribune, Surjeet Singh said he had received secret information that Regan used to sell drugs in various parts of Jalandhar and Kapurthala. Following which, a trap was laid to catch him red handed. “The Jalandhar police was informed about the drug peddler and the trap laid for him,” he added.

Meanwhile, an FIR under sections 18,61,85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the arrested person at the Kapurthala Sadar police station.

Nawanshahr, September 15
Expressing solidarity with Punjab Chandigarh College Teachers Union’s on-going agitation, the Principals' Association (GNDU, Amritsar Jurisdiction Area) has urged the Chief Minister and education minister to take immediate steps to redress the grievances of the teachers of the privately managed government aided colleges.

In a meeting at Doaba College, Jalandhar on Friday association’s president Dr R.P. Bhardwaj said due to agitation the teaching work in educational institutions has been affected and the students are the worst hit.

Talking to the mediapersons, association’s general secretary Dr. Jaspal Singh Randhawa said the Principal's Association has decided to participate in the agitation in Chandigarh on September 19 and 26.

Jalandhar, September 15
Grace - 2007, an exhibition showcasing creations of internationally-acclaimed artist Basudeb Biswas was inaugurated by famous Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans at Virsa Vihar here on Saturday.

The three-day extravaganza will have on display teracotta sculptures, paintings and marble busts prepared by Biswas, who is a well known name in the city art circle.

Talking to the Tribune, the ace artist said the event aims at creating awareness among the art lovers.

“I believe that my art work should be graceful. The title of the exhibition clearly reflects my internal instinct,” says the man, who has been associated with the APJ College of Fine Arts for the last two decades.

The artist’s themes revolve around woman. Elegant, elongated figures with their heads held high, fashionably tied tresses and flowing dresses clearly speak of Biswas’s rich imagination. The artist wants the younger generation to take a keen interest in arts.

Jalandhar, September 15
Students at the Flying Cats Academy had the chance to increase their style and confidence quotient as they received fashion tips at one-day workshop held today from Bollywood fame costume designer, Ashley Rebello.

The style guru who has designed for everyone from Aamir Khan to Tabu gave students tips on how to present themselves at interviews. Having been part of many such panels he knows it all.

Right from how to tie their hair to putting on that winning smile the girls had it all from the maestro himself. He gave students tips into etiquettes, hair styles, clothes, make up, dress code etc.

Talking to mediapersons here today Rebello said fashion industry was experiencing a big boom. The designing for films was glamour-driven from the earlier designs being character-driven. Giving characters a different look is challenge for him, says Rebello.

But from giving Aishwarya Rai black lenses in Shabd to making Mallika Sherawat dress all covered up in Pyar ke Side Effects he has done it all with élan.

Giving deglamourised look to actresses in Chandani Bar brought him acclaim and gave him identity says the man who started out with Aamir’s Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander.