The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

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PUNJAB

Amritsar
Stone-laying spree: Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), would go on a foundation laying spree for widening and strengthening the road network in the Majitha block of Amritsar district on September 20. Badal would lay foundation stones at Udoke Kalan, Tahli Sahib, Chawinda Devi, Kathu Nangal, Majitha, Gurjarpura and Chachewali village. He would be accompanied by local MLA Bikramjit Singh Majithia and other senior leaders of the party.

Power cut: In view of the maintenance work in the 66-kv sub-station at Dental College, the power supply would remain suspended from 2 pm to 5 pm on September 22 in various localities of the holy city. According to the press note issued here today by assistant executive engineer, Lawrence Road, PSEB, Joshi Colony, Khanna Street, Majitha Road, MM road, Tilak Nagar, Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, ESI Hospital, Dental College and Hospital, Jamun road and Shivala Colony would be affected by the power cut.

Training course: A seven-day vocational training course on beekeeping was held by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). Assistant professor (plant protection) Parminder Kaurand sdand associate director Dr Satpal Saini exhorted the farmers to adopt beekeeping as an additional agri-business. The course also educated the farmers about the subsidy available on beekeeping.

Lecture held: A lecture on library as a profession was held at Guru Nanak Dev University. Dr PSG Kumar, former president of Indian Library Association and currently a UGC Emeritus Fellow at Nagpur University, while speaking on the occasion lamented that though the librarians are qualified, they are treated as administrative staff and not the academic staff. The expert asked the students of library and information science department to work hard to take the library profession to the highest pinnacle of glory.

Bathinda
Relief for Bihar flood-hit: The Eastwood Kindness Organisation (EKO) of Eastwood International School has offered a helping hand to the grief stricken people of Bihar. Seeing their sad plight EKO took the onus of collecting money for donation to give to the flood stricken state. The students and staff donated generously and a sum of Rs 11,000 was given to the SDM of Dabwali to be further donated. EKO was started and is growing under the 'care and share' programme being nurtured under the dean of the school Beena Rao.

Prize for kabaddi team: DAV College won the Punjabi University Kabaddi Championship (national style) after defeating Government Rajindra College by a narrow margin of one point in the final match held at Anandpur Sahib. Dr J.S. Anand, principal of DAV College, congratulated the winners and announced a cash prize of Rs 5,000 for the team. Dr Anand added that five players have been selected for the university team for inter-varsity matches.

One killed in road mishap: Sukhraj Singh (30), a resident of village Kohara, was killed in a road accident which took place on Bathinda-Jaito road on Friday. Two persons, Ganga and Gulab Singh, sustained injuries in the mishap. The victims were travelling on a motorcycle which was hit by an unidentified vehicle.

DERA BASSI
Youth killed: Rahul, a 22-year-old boy, was killed at Container Depot at Dappar railway station here on Friday. According to the railway police, Rahul, hailing from Bihar, was working as helper in the depot. He fell from a height while attaching a container with a JCB machine and was seriously injured. Later, he succumbed to his injuries at the PGI.

Fatehgarh Sahib
Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Baba Moti Ram Charitable Trust: chairman — Purshouttam Singh; senior vice-chairman — Ranjeet Singh; vice-chairmen — Sohan Singh, Sukhdev Singh Jhansal, Surinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh Bhatti and Gurdial Singh; general secretary — Prem Singh; assistant secretary — Ami Chand; cashier — Gurdev Singh; publicity secretary — Raj Kumar Patran; and store committee in-charges — Mahinder Singh Khanna, Surinder Singh, Bhupinder Singh.

Jalandhar
Minor missing: A 10-year-old boy, Prince, son of Ashwini of the local Bhargo Camp area, went missing from his home on the evening of September 13. According to the complaint lodged by his parents at police station division no. 6, Prince is mentally challenged and does not speak much.

Nawanshahr
2 booked for embezzlement: The local police has registered a case under section 409 of the IPC against Madan Lal, retired junior assistant, and Surinder Kumar, chungi sevadar (under suspension), of the local municipal council, for allegedly committing embezzlement of Rs 3,975 during the period of September, 2003, to May 13, 2004, and of Rs 4,474 during the period of July 25 to September 29, 2004.

2 held with opium: The local CIA staff has arrested Tarlochan Singh and Balwinder Singh, both residents of Lasara village, and seized 1 kg of opium from them at a naka near Garhi Ajit Singh village on Thursday, Hardeep Singh, in charge, CIA staff, said.

Assessment camp: The district Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyan (SSA) authority organised an assessment camp for physically challenged schoolchildren at Government Senior Secondary School, Banga, on Thursday. Prajaka Nilkanth, wife of the deputy commissioner, inaugurated the camp.

Patiala
Sangeet sammelan: The second day of the Bhai Mardana Classical Sangeet Sammelan, being organised by the Punjabi University’s department of gurmat sangeet, belonged to vocal and instrumental maestros belonging to different music gharanas and genres. While disciple of Ustad Allah Rakha Khan, Kulwinder Singh performed on the tabla, the disciple of Valayat Khan, Prof Narinder Narula gave out a splendid performance on the sitar. Vocal recital by the duo of Alankar Singh-Manpreet Singh was spellbinding. Patiala division commissioner S.K. Ahluwalia and DIG Paramjit Singh Gill were the guests of honour.

Blood donation: A blood donation camp was organised by the NSS unit of the Multani Mal Modi College here on Friday. As many as 60 students donated blood on the occasion. The camp was inaugurated by member, Punjab Public Service Commission, Dr Ajaib Singh. Principal of the college Dr Satish Kumar Bhardwaj exhorted the students to donate blood to save precious lives.

CHANDIGARH

ZIRAKPUR
Suicide: Body of a rehri-rickshaw puller was found at his house in Sukhana Colony, Zirakpur. According to the police, the body of Anil Kumar, hailing from Bihar, was found hanging by his landlord in the afternoon. The door of the house was found locked from inside. The landlord called up the police and the body was taken to the civil hospital, Derabassi, where the autopsy would be carried on Saturday. Anil was in his mid-twenties. The police stated the case would be registered after the arrival of the relatives of the deceased.

HARYANA

CHANDIGARH
Posting order: IAS officer Raj Kumar has been posted as financial commissioner and principal secretary, technical education and industrial training department. He would be relieving Ajit M. Sharan.

Cop held on graft charge: Haryana state vigilance bureau nabbed head constable Ravi Dutt, posted at Sohna police station, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from Rati Ram of Sohna, district Gurgaon, on Friday. A spokesman of the bureau said a case under section 7/13 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 has been registered against the accused.

KAITHAL
Cheques distributed: Deputy commissioner Vikas Gupta distributed cheques worth Rs 90 lakh to 94 beneficiaries under the Rajeev Gandhi Parivar Bima Yojna on Friday. Kaithal SDM Hawa Singh, nodal officer of the scheme, and Kiran Sharma, district social welfare officer, were among those present on the occasion.

KARNAL
Hooda to inaugurate health centres: During his one-day visit to Karnal on September 21, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would inaugurate public health centres at village Barauta and Jundala, and a community health centre (CHC) at sub-tehsil building, Nishing. He would start his visit by attending the ‘Virat Bhakti Satsang’ by Shudhansuji Maharaj at the HUDA ground in Sector 12.

Workshop on climate change: The impact of climate change on Indian livestock would be discussed at a two-day workshop to be held under the auspices of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, from September 20. The deliberations would be focused on studying the impact of climate change on livestock, improving adaptive capacity, reducing negative impact on livestock and related issues.

CM’s decision welcomed: The Haryana Private Schools Management Association has hailed the announcement of Chief Minister B.S. Hooda to do away with pre-conditions of obtaining a ‘no objection certificate’ from the municipal council and change in land use from the town and country planning department for seeking recognition. State secretary of the federation Sushil Sharma said the announcement would provide a major relief to private schools.

REWARI
Woman commits suicide: Ram Rati (70), wife of Nihal Singh Yadav, reportedly committed suicide by setting herself on fire at Bharawas village, seven kilometres from here, last evening. The Rampura police said the woman was suffering from mental delirium, which forced her to take the extreme step.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Driver convicted: Judicial magistrate Praveen Chauhan at Ghumarwin near here has found a driver, Hans Raj, son of Krishnu Ram of Seyu village near Ghumarwin, guilty of rash and negligent driving and has sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment and an additional fine of Rs 1000. Earlier, assistant public prosecutor Anil Avasthi told the court that Hans Raj, while driving a private bus had hit a government car of the Himachal Pradesh Agro Industries Corporation in which an officer and car driver Anant Ram were injured seriously near Targhel village on National Highway near Ghumarwin on January 20, 2006.

Youth dies: A youth, Subhash ( 24), son of Hariman of Kothi village, near Ghumarwin is said to have consumed some poisonous substance at his village home on Wednesday. He was immediately rushed to the nearby Ghumarwin hospital but was declared brought dead by doctors. The reason for this drastic step of the youth has not yet been known.

SHIMLA
Special assistance: The Himachal Employees Confederation has urged the Centre to grant a special financial assistance to the state to the tune of Rs 800 crore to enable the government to implement the revised pay scales. In a memorandum to Prime Minster Manmohan Singh the confederation has pointed out that the fund-starved state was in no position to bear the burden of increased salaries. Special dispensation was needed from the Centre as government empowerment was the mainstay of the state’s economy.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

JAMMU
Jawan dies in accidental fire: A jawan was killed in an accidental fire in the Reasi district on Friday. Official sources said a bullet pierced through the neck of a jawan from short-range when his weapon accidentally went off, while carrying a firing practise at Kunala Gala. The jawan was identified as Praveen T V of the 54 Rashtriya Rifles. Sources said Praveen got critically wounded and was immediately shifted to a hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. “The jawan hailed from the Chinanore district in Kerala. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident”, defence spokesman Lt Col S.D. Goswami said. Meanwhile, a case registered a case.

Help for flood victims sought: The Arogya Sena (health Army), a front line non-governmental organisation (NGO), Jammu unit, on Friday appealed to the people of Jammu to donate and help the flood victims of Bihar. Arogya Sena president Prof K.C. Singh Mehta urged the people to render all possible help to the people of Bihar, who were facing the nature’s fury since the past few weeks. Singh said the organisation was making all efforts to provide succour to the flood victims. Senior vice-president of the organisation Hermohinder Singh Mahat requested people to donate with generosity in cash or kind at the centre’s office in Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar. General secretary Prem Singh said people should donate to lessen the sufferings of destitutes, orphans and underprivileged people.

Lecture on cultural heritage: The centre for adult continuing and extension education, Jammu University, held a lecture-cum-interactive programme on, “Significance, use and preservation of cultural heritage in J&K” on Friday. Aparna Tandon, project specialist, International Centre for Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) - an NGO affiliated with UNESCO working for the preservation of tangible and intangible art forms across the globe, was the resource person on the occasion. Aparna expressed dismay over the deteriorating historic buildings, besides vanishing folk art forms. “People in general and universities in particular will have to step out for cultural revival”, she said. Aparna stressed upon the preservation of cultural heritage. Earlier, assistant director of the centre, Dr Kavita Suri delivered the welcome address. Project officer Sandeep Singh gave the vote of thanks. Other key speakers at the function included centre director, Dr Poonam Dhawan, and project officer Dr Bharti Prabhakar.

9 kg poppy seized: One person was arrested and 9 kg poppy was recovered from his possession on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district on Friday. Police sources said a Punjab-bound truck was intercepted on the Batote highway in Ramban district. During search, the police recovered the poppy packed in an apple box. Truck driver Lakhvinder Singh was arrested and a case registered. Singh is a resident of Ludhiana in Punjab.

Medical camp organised: A medical camp was organised by the 159 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) (H&H) DOGRA, under the aegis of the Delta Force at Panchal village in Doda on Friday. The camp was inaugurated by Capt Prithvi Raj. The medical team comprised surgical, medical, and dental specialists from the civil and the Army. A large number of women, children and elderly people residing in these far-flung areas were treated at the camp. People were lectured on the importance of hygiene and sanitation. At least 500 persons were treated and free of cost medicines were distributed to them. The Army also distributed health, nutrition and child-care pamphlets to the villagers.

SRINAGAR
One dead, 2 hurt: A woman was killed, while two persons were injured, in the Kashmir valley on Friday. Official sources said a woman was critically injured after being hit by a car at Bemina. She was immediately admitted to the hospital where she later died. Meanwhile, a mini-bus collided with a bus near Mulgam Kunzer, injuring the driver and conductor of the bus. The injured were hospitalised.