R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

New township on cards: Splendor Group and Enpar Group have joined hands to bring forth a world-class township in the heart of Amritsar. Named as Mayfair County, this 170 acre township has basically been conceptualised as the extension of Ranjit Avenue which would offer plots sizes varies from 250 sq yards to 1000 square yards. The 3-D model of the township was unveiled by MLA Inderbir Bolaria here. H Vikram Bhatia, CMD, Splendor Group, said this township would be located on the Ajnala Airport Road.

Nakodar
Proclaimed offender arrested: The Mehtpur police has arrested a proclaimed offender (PO), Sukhwinder Singh, resident of Udhowal. The PO had been absconding since 2007. A case under the Excise Act was registered against him. Acting on a tip-off, a police party today raided a place and arrested him.

Pathankot
Heat claims life: A 40-year-old man died of heat stroke here today. Rajesh Kumar of Mamun area was found in an unconscious state near Gandhi Chowk on APK road. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The hospital authorities confirmed that the man had died of heat stroke. The temperature was recorded at 44.1° C in the town.

Tarn Taran
Farmers’ training camp: The Horticulture Department, Punjab, organised a training camp on Monday at Teja Singh Wala village, 12 kms from here, to provide technical knowledge and the departmental facilities to farmers. Dr Hardyal Singh Sandhu, deputy director of the department, said the department was giving 75 per cent subsidy in growing fruit plants. He also advised the farmers to adopt natural method in agriculture and avoid excess use of pesticides and insecticides. Dr Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Horticulture Development Officer, informed about net housing technique in vegetable growing. Fruit plants were given to the participants on the occasion by the department.

CHANDIGARH

Students awarded: Chandigarh Pidilite Industries hosted the PAFE award ceremony to celebrate excellence in the training and talent of students of architecture and interior design in Chandigarh. Students from 10 prominent colleges were felicitated by architect Harish Saini.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Srinagar
1 killed in blast at scrap dealer’s house: One person was killed and four were injured in an explosion in the house of a scrap dealer at Toor Ranipora village in Anantnag district on Tuesday. The police said the blast took place when the scrap was being loaded on a vehicle.

Governor briefed on road projects: The Director-General, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lt-Gen S Ravi Shankar, called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here on Monday evening. During an hour-long meeting,General Shankar briefed the Governor about various important road projects being executed by the BRO in the state.

DEHRADUN

DEHRADUN
Landslide near Sirobgarh: The Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway was blocked on Tuesday for traffic after a landslide near Sirobgarh in Rudraprayag district. Rocks, stones and soil in large quantities came down to the road this morning due to rain in the region, official sources said. Nearly 700 vehicles carrying nearly thousands of tourists were stranded on both sides of the highway, they said. The Border Roads Organisation is trying to clear the landslide, they said.

Lightning kills two: Two women were killed while one was injured when they were struck by lightning in Tehri district of Uttarakhand, the police said on Tuesday. The women were working in the fields yesterday when the incident occurred. The two women were killed on the spot. The injured woman has been admitted to a local government hospital, the police said.

Pilgrims’ complaints: Vice-president of the Char Dham Vikas Parishad Surat Ram Nautiyal took up complaints of pilgrims bound for the Char Dham Yatra at a meeting held at Rishikesh on Tuesday. The complaints pertained to the overcharging by shopkeepers and transporters on the yatra route. He directed police officials to take legal action against the guilty. Nautiyal also inspected arrangements for the Char Dham and Hemkunt Sahib pilgrimage. He mentioned about frequent complaints regarding overcharging from passengers on Tehri, Uttarkashi and Srinagar routes.

Kumaon Briefs
Bithoria residents gherao office of Jal Sansthan: Irked over the alleged failure of the administration to provide them with regular water supply, residents of the Bithoria area of Haldwani gheraod the office of the Jal Sansthan and the City Magistrate. They said they had been running from pillar to post for the past four months for getting regular water supply, but to no avail. The worst affected areas are Reeva Enclave and Bengali Chuna Bhatti. Residents claimed that they had not been getting water since Holi. City Magistrate Prahash Chandra has promised to get a survey done to resolve the matter.

Unscheduled power cuts irk Rudrapur residents: Residents of the Dudhiya Nagar area of Rudrapur are agitated over unscheduled power cuts. They have sought a proper schedule for power cuts. They also staged a demonstration at the local power house. They alleged that because of the unscheduled power cuts, water supply to their area was also affected. They have also complained that they feel unsafe on account of there being no power in their locality after dark.

Plea to fill posts of driver in Uttarakhand: Government drivers affiliated to the Rajkiya Vahan Chalak Sangh have accused the government of ignoring their concerns. At a meeting held at Almora, they have demanded immediate appointments against the vacant posts of driver across the state. They have stated that on account of the government not filing the vacant posts, work load on the existing staff has increased manifold. They have also demanded the regularisation of the services of contractual employees have sought a uniform allowance and grade pay for their cadre.

SSB-trained guerrillas hold demonstration: The SSB-trained guerrillas, who have been agitating for close to 600 days in support of their demands, held a demonstration at Bageshwar. They flayed the Uttarakhand and the Central Governments for not paying heed to their genuine demands for which they had been agitating for long. They are seeking employment on the lines of the one provided to their counterparts in the north eastern states. They have threatened to march to the residence of CM Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank on June 14. They are demanding that they should be given permanent appointment along with pension benefits.

Theft at shop near police post in Haldwani: Residents of the Bareilley Road area of Haldwani were stunned to know that a shop located close to the Mandi police post had been broken into. Miscreants are learnt to have decamped with Rs 3.5 lakh along with cigarettes and cosmetics worth Rs 60, 000. The theft was discovered when the shop owner, Ram Swarup Sahu, opened his shop and found the locker open with the cash missing.

(Compiled by Rajeev Khanna)