Hoshiarpur, August 31
The District Soil and Water Conservation Department (DSWCD) will spend Rs 2 crore on various development works in the district. A sum of Rs 52 lakh will be spent in Hoshiarpur block Nos I and II, Rs 50 lakh in Talwara, Rs 78 lakh in Mahilpur and Garhshankar and Rs 20 lakh in Bhunga during the current financial year.

Disclosing this while inspecting the protection bundh constructed by the DSWCD on the Mata Devi khud near Bachhohi village at a cost of Rs 13 lakh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Singh Thandal said that with its construction it would not only check the soil erosion in the area but also protect the village abadi of Bechhohi from floods.

Thandal said the Punjab Government had increased the subsidy of Rs 22,500 to Rs 30,000 for developing ordinary orchard per acre and Rs 40,000 for thickly planted orchards.

The subsidy of Rs 40,000 for setting of net house in one-kanal area for cultivating vegetables was also being given. Each beneficiary could set up two net houses of one kanal each. The National Horticulture Board was providing 20 per cent subsidy for developing big orchards.

Jalandhar, August 31
Although just five days are left for the commencement of the first semester of the final examinations of Classes X and XII, the students and school managements in nealry all the districts of Punjab are still awaiting the roll numbers and information regarding their respective examination centres.

The Punjab School Education Board, which is for the first time introducing the semester system for Classes X and XII, will conduct the examinations for the first semester from September 6. The delay in the issue of the roll numbers left thousands of students and even teachers apprehensive.

As only three working days are left in the commencement of the examinations with holiday of September 2 and Sunday on September 5, teachers are of the opinion that it would be cumbersome to collect and distribute the roll number to the students in this short period.

“It is obvious that issuance of roll numbers to each students will not be a major task. However, such delay compromises the compliance of student. After all, it is difficult for student, bereft of roll number and information regarding one’s centre just five days before the examinations, to calmly prepare for his or her examination,” said the principal of a government senior secondary school.

Moreover, the teachers are also confused on the issue that whether the authorities would send roll numbers direct to the schools or they have to collect it from the board’s district depots. Ironically, the board authorities have also issued no deadline in this regard to the school managements or board’s depots located in each district. D.S. Dhillon, Chairman, PSEB, said that the board had already dispatched the roll numbers and information regarding examination centres to each district.

Pathankot, August 31
In a road accident today, three members of a family were killed and five injured, two of them seriously, when a Maruti van (JK-02-AB-6592) in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary truck (RJ-19-IG-8704) on the roadside on the Amritsar-Pathankot-Jammu national highway near Islampur village, 13 km from here in Sujanpur town, today.

According to the police, the van was coming from Hardwar. As they reached near Sujanpur, the driver of the van lost his control over the steering wheel. The van reportedly smashed into the truck.

Those killed on the spot were identified as Beena Devi (45), Pawan Kumar (30) and Mangat Ram (40), all residents of Badial Kadia, Jammu.

The other injured were identified as Preeto Devi, Bansi Lal, Janak Raj, Suresh Kumar and Des Raj. All were admitted to the Pathankot Civil Hospital.

Batala, August 31
Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira criticised the police for its inaction in a case regarding an attack on BSP leader Mohan Singh. He visited injured BSP leader in the Civil Hospital here on Sunday. Mohan Singh was injured allegedly by six Akali workers out of which one is Harpal Singh, sarpanch of Sandalpura village.

A case under sections 323, 324, 325, 329, 379, 148 and 149 of the IPC and section 3 of the SC/ST Act has been registered. Besides Harpal Singh, his brothers Jassa Singh and Massa Singh, Baman Singh, Prem Singh and Harwant Singh were booked. They are all residents of Sandalpura village.

Mohan Singh was attacked a few days ago and robbed of Rs 1.5 lakh and two mobile phones. Later, Khaira met Batala SSP Dinesh Partap Singh and brought to his notice that none of the accused was arrested in this case.

Hoshiarpur, August 31
Providing relief to Pawan Kumar of Ratainda village, Nawanshahar, the District Consumer Forum, led by its president P.D. Goel, has ordered United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) to pay Rs 3,53,967.80 to him with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing the complaint till realisation along with litigation expenses of Rs 1,000 within one month.

Pawan Kumar had filed a complaint on the ground that his Scorpio vehicle (PB-08-AV-3366) was comprehensively insured with the UIICL, Nawanshahr, from December 12, 2007, to December 11, 2008, for Rs 4.75 lakh. The vehicle met with an accident on November 29, 2008. The authorities of the UIICL instead of settling the claim of his vehicle, repudiated it on the ground that Pawan Kumar had no insurable interest.

The authorities of the UIICL raised the plea that Ranjit Singh, son of Hazara Singh of Gopalian village, Hoshiarpur, was the owner of the vehicle, therefore, the claim had been rightly repudiated. The consumer forum held that in the affidavit filed by Ranjit Singh, he had deposed that he had not purchased the Scorpio vehicle from Pawan Kumar. The registration certificate and insurance policy was also in the name of Pawan Kumar, therefore, Pawan Kumar had got insurance interest.