Hoshiarpur, May 4
To protest against alleged harassment by some of the local dairy owners, the halwais (sweet meat shop owners) here have stopped buying milk from the former. They have also stopped selling milk at their shops.

Some of the halwais closed their shops when milk was being sold in the morning and evening and the dairy owners could be seen standing in front of their closed shops with their buckets and containers of milk.Some of the dairy owners gheraoed shops of four halwais namely Gape Di Hatti, Gupte Di Hatti, Ashok Sethi and Nagesh Sethi last evening for not buying milk from them.General secretary of the Halwais Union Kewal Krishan Gautam told this correspondent here this evening that the dairy owners and Halwais had increased the rates of milk from April 1, 2008 from Rs 18.50 per litre to Rs 22 per litre following which deputy commissioner, Hoshiarpur, had imposed a ban on the preparation of all types of sweets made of milk.The deputy commissioner had also convened a meeting of halwais and dairy owners to persuade them to roll back the increased prices of milk.

However, the DC had allowed them to sell milk at the rate of Rs 20.50 per litre. The halwais agreed on this rate and asked the deputy commissioner to provide them with milk at the rate of Rs 19.50 per litre from the dairy owners. But the dairy owners did not oblige the deputy commissioner. The DC had assured them that if they charge Rs 20.50 per litre, he would lift the ban on the preparation of milk-made-sweets. Kewal Krishan bemoaned that the dairy owners were supplying milk having 6 per cent fat to the Hoshiarpur Milk Plant at the rate of Rs 15 per litre whereas the plant was selling milk having four-and-a-half per cent fat at the rate of Rs 22 per kg to the public. A meeting of the halwais was called on Sunday to discuss the situation and to review their relations with the dairy owners.

Phagwara, May 4
In an attempt to avert thefts in the region, the Phagwara police has asked the money exchangers to install the CCTV cameras in their offices.

This was revealed by DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh. He said SHO Paramsunil Singh Randhawa held a meeting with the money exchangers and told them about the latest directions. The meeting was attended by 35 money exchangers.

The DSP said the money exchangers have been asked to inform the police whenever they doubt any person visiting their shop. Besides, they should collect identification proofs from such persons and inform the police if he/she regularly visits their premises.

Earlier, the police had held a meeting with the jewellers and had asked them to install the CCTV cameras. The direction was given after a dacoity at Manav Jewellers few weeks ago.

Interestingly, similar directions were also given to the banks where they had been asked to have CCTV cameras in their premises, including the ATM chambers. The banks had already adhered to the direction and installed the cameras.

The directions came as a boon when a person was arrested while he was withdrawing money from an account at an ATM and his photograph was captured by the CCTV camera.

Jalandhar, May 4
To turn dreams into reality and make it big in life, a large number of students from the strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are shifting to Jalandhar, which is fast emerging as a major education hub in the region.

The trend has picked up in the last two years with scores of students joining job-oriented courses in various city colleges, which offer safe and good study environment.

Says director of corporate relations and placement of CT group of institutions, Manhar Arora, “Earlier, majority of Kashmiri students preferred the national capital to realise their dreams. However, Jalandhar has now become one of the most sought education destination when it comes to quality education.

The colleges in J&K are till date offering outdated courses, whereas the present market demands skilled professionals.”

At present the city is home to nearly 600 Kashmiri students who are pursuing professional courses at different institutes here. Out of these, over 300 students are in CT Group of Institutions where they are doing specialised courses like MBA, PG Programme in Management and Insurance (PGPMI), Bachelor in Airlines, Tourism and Hospitality, B.Tech and B.Pharmacy. Similarly, the Lovely Professional University has as many as 263 Kashmiri students who are pursuing professional degrees like MBA, BBA and B.Tech.

Abida Ali, a student of PGPMI at CT Institute, says, “After completing my course here, I want to serve my motherland”. Regarding militant activities in the Valley, she says,” “No doubt Kashmir has witnessed violence, terrorism and fear. But that period is over now. The Valley is slowly changing for good”.

She added that the students studying here hope to rebuild the future of Kashmir with their skills and educational qualifications.

Another Valley student Riyaz Ahmed maintained that lack of resources back home is forcing many students to move out.

“Till date Kashmiris were happy with orthodox means of earning. But now the young brigade wants to venture out. New job opportunities could give the state’s economy much-needed boost,” he added. 

Hoshiarpur, May 4
To promote education among the economically backward students, Student Book Bank (SBB), an NGO, is doing a commendable service in the city and its surrounding areas.

The founder president of the SBB Dr Ashok Sood told The Tribune that the NGO aims to promote education among the economically backward community by extending its assistance without any consideration of caste, creed, race or religion.

Books are provided at nominal rates i.e. 10 per cent of the cost of books, on returnable basis, to students from the lower classes to the postgraduate level. The bank also provides educational books and material free of cost.

It also grants scholarships to the meritorious students and has been imparting computer training to poor students at subsidised rates.

The bank has more than 60,000 books in its library and has provided books to more than 17,000 students since its inception on July 4, 1978.

It has catered to 1,103 students ranging from the fifth standard to the post graduation level by providing them with more than 9,282 books at the estimated cost of Rs 13.50 lakh during 2007-08.

During the current academic year it had already issued application forms to more than 700 students, out of which more than 250 students have already been given books in the very first month of the new session.

The scholarship scheme of the SBB is open to the meritorious students. The range of annual scholarship is from Rs 1,200 up to the matric level, Rs 1,800 up to senior secondary level, Rs 2,400 for graduate and Rs 3,000 for the postgraduate and professional levels.

Books worth Rs 2 lakh are annually purchased by the NGO and the entire expenditure is being met through donations.

To highlight its achievements and to make people aware about it, the SBB today organised a function at the local DAV school in which its 29th annual report was released.

Nawanshahr, May 4
Burglars struck a tuck shop at Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Park in Khatkar Kalan village on Friday. Shop owner Bhupinder Singh said miscreants broke the door lock and decamped with gas stove, cold drink bottles and biscuits, worth Rs 5,000.

After the incident, the area residents have raised an alarm about the security arrangements at the park which adjoins the ancestral house of martyr Bhagat Singh.

The archaeological department has displayed artifacts belonging to the martyrs' family in the house. Demanding proper security arrangements, the residents said thieves could attack the historic place too.

Meanwhile Jasbir Sahiba’s residence was burgled on Saturday when he went out of the house with his family.

He said they returned at 10.30 pm and were astonished to see the front door opened.

He said miscreants had decamped with a camera, Rs 32,000 and 12 grams of gold ornaments. A case has been registered.