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Batala
Stolen goods: The police returned stolen articles, worth Rs 84.98 lakh, to the original owners during a special function here on Wednesday. IPS Sahota, Inspector General of Police (Border Zone), Amritsar, presided over the function. Major items, recovered in 45 cases in Batala, included a bus, jeep, three trucks, three cars, three tractor trolleys, 15 motorcycles, 4 scooters, JCB machine and 14 computers. The total cost of the articles was 75.46 lakh. Articles valued at Rs.9.52 lakh in 11 cases of Gurdaspur district, included a truck, tractor, 5 motorcycles, Alto car were returned the owners. Courts have authorised the release of the stolen articles. Sahota said the police would respect the general public if they approach the police for redressal of their grievances.

MC staff strike: The strike of the municipal employees and safai karamcharis continued on the eighth day today. Their demands included regularisation of contractual staff and payment of arrears. Ashok Kumar Bitta, president of the Safai Karamchari Sangh, Batala, said the government failed to keep its promise. Ambika Khanna, president, Municipal Council, Batala, expressed concern over the deteriorating sanitary conditions of the town. Khanna, however, refused to comment on accepting the demands of employees. In Phagwara, dharnas and demonstrations were organised against the government. A protest rally was also organised in the town hall in front of the nagar council office.

Bathinda
CUP admission schedule out: The Central University of Punjab (CUP), Bathinda has announced the schedule for admission to different MA/ MSc/ LLM and M Phil-PhD courses to be offered during 2011-12. The all-India on-line entrance test for these courses will be conducted on July 16 at 16 centres, including Bathinda, Chandigarh, Shimla and Noida. The applications for the test can be submitted online from June 16-30.

Rally marks blood donors day: Activists of various community service organisations under the aegis of the Blood Donors Council took out a “red umbrella rally” to mark World Blood Donors Day here on Tuesday. The rally, aimed at motivating the people for voluntary blood donation to save human lives in the hour of need, was flagged off by an NRI, Hardyal Singh Dhamrait, at the BDC Complex. Holding red umbrellas and placards in their hands and raising slogans to create awareness regarding blood donation, social activists, passed through the main bazaars and roads of the town before culminating at Judicial Complex, where the Additional District and Sessions Judge, A.K Mehta, accompanied by his colleagues and members of the District Bar Association, received the rally.

Nawanshahr
Govt criticised: To protest against the alleged negative attitude towards the Scheduled Castes, especially Chamar community, the Chamar Mahan Sabha organised a district-level dharna and symbolic hunger strike in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here on Tuesday. Addressing the dharna, Paramjit Singh Kainth, state president of the sabha, urged the Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, to bring a change in the indifferent and repressive attitude of the state government towards the Scheduled Castes. He demanded the induction of an MLA belonging to the community in the Cabinet, release of adequate funds for the Guru Ravidass Chairs set up in the state universities, removal of hurdles in the proper implementation of the 85th constitutional amendment and withdrawal of about 1,800 false police cases registered against the members of the community after the Vienna incident. The dharna was culminated with sabha chief offering fruit juice to the sabha members sitting on a dharna and submission of the sabha’s memorandum to the officials concerned.

CHANDIGARH

CHANDIGARH SCAN
Fountain inaugurated: Surinder Kumar Jagota, a councillor, on Wednesday inaugurated a fountain in Dream Park, Sector 23-D, which came up at a cost of Rs 11.52 lakh. SS Bida, Chief Engineer; RK Goyal, SE public health, and officials of the MC were present on the occasion. Bidda said more than 20 fountains were functioning in the city and at least 12 more were in the pipeline.

Campaigning begins: Way ahead of the university student council poll, student organisations on the campus have already begun campaigning by taking feedback on exam and result related queries from students. With help desks yet to be set up by the student organisations this week to help freshers fill in forms, a department wise campaign has been launched by the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU). Students are being asked about problems that they encountered during exams or while procuring results from the administration block. Feedback is being taken from research scholars. “The university authorities will permit setting up of help desks this week,” said Vikramjeet of SOPU.

Seminar: The Chandigarh Senior Citizens’ Association on Wednesday organised a seminar on “Elders Abuse” in collaboration with the HelpAge India at Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10. Among those who spoke on the occasion included Brig (retd) Keshav Chandra, association president, Prof Raj Mohan Sethi, Dr AS Khehra, former Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University; RS Ghumman, a retired SP; HS Walia, a former joint secretary (law), and Avenash Dutta, country head of HelpAge India.

Play staged: Slum children associated with the Theatre Age staged a play “Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja” at Government High School, Sector 24-A on Wednesday. As many as 23 children from the adjoining slums participated in the play. Sandeep Hans, DPI (Schools), was present on the occasion.

‘Snan Purnima’: The “Snan Purnima” of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra of Lord Jagannath Temple commenced in Sector 31 on Wednesday. Due to the lunar eclipse, a majority of the ceremonies were completed by 1.30 pm, SK Nanda, secretary, said.

Bank branch shifted: Syndicate Bank has shifted their branch from the current location in Mount Carmel School, Sector 47-B, to the market of 45-B.

‘Unethical action’: The Property Consultants Association in a press note here on Wednesday has said the administration action of holding back plans and files in wait of increase in rates of additional covered area was not understood. It was, in fact, unethical, said president Kamaljit Singh Panchhi.

Anti-malaria camp: As a part of the anti-malaria month, the third anti-malaria camp was organised at Government High School in Colony number 4. Dr Naresh Kumar, assistant director, malaria, UT, emphasised that due to the arrival of early monsoons, residents needed to be more careful regarding places of mosquito breeding in the vicinity of their residences.

mohali SCAN
MRI machine inaugurated: Punjab Police DGP PS Gill on Wednesday said he was doing his job and was in no mood to contest election. This was stated by the DGP while inaugurating a MRI machine at IVY Hospital here. Mohali SSP GPS Bhullar and hospital CEO Gurtej Singh and hospital medical director, Dr Kanwaldeep Singh were also present on the occasion. After inaugurating the MRI machine, the DGP was told by the hospital authorities that modern machine did not cause any harm to the patients.

Bittu to seek alms: Ravneet Singh Bittu, MP from Anandpur Sahib, said to embarrass the Akali government for its failure to construct a bridge on the SYL canal near Rodan village, Kharar, he would seek alms at Kharar on June 23. The funds collected through alms would be sent to the Chief Minister for undertaking construction of the bridge. He said due to the absence of the bridge, any mishap could take place.

Effigy burnt: Members of the RMSA teachers burnt the effigy of Punjab education minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan here on Wednesday. While demanding regularisation of their jobs, the teachers are sitting on a dharna outside Phase 3B1 Government Senior Secondary School here. Yesterday the teachers had marched to the residence of the Deputy Commissioner demanding regularisation of their jobs.

Panchkula SCAN
Book released: Keshni Anand Arora, financial commissioner, transport and civil association, released a book on vegetarian cuisine “Any Day Veg Delights”, authored by economist-turned-cuisine expert Swarn Ghakhar here on Wednesday evening. Arora said the present day working women were adept to fancy cooking and had little knowledge about traditional cooking, which was important for healthy lifestyle. “I hope professionals, especially housewives, would benefit from the book, which contains recipes for Chinese as well as continental food, besides the traditional Indian food,” said Arora.

HARYANA

CHANDIGARH
Helpline: With a view to preventing atrocities on women, children and destitute children, killing of newborn infants and foeticide, a toll-free helpline number 1800-180-2056 has been launched at Panchkula. An official spokesman said the facility would be available round the clock at the District Child Welfare Council, Sector 14, Panchkula.

FATEHABAD
13 hurt in clash: Thirteen persons were injured in a group clash over eve teasing at Bhattu Road in the town here on Wednesday. Both groups belonged to the nomadic Bhat community and were living in tents near the power station on Bhattu Road. According to reports, community elders called a panchayat of the two groups after complaints of eve teasing by some youths. As the panchayat was in progress, the two sides started exchanging hot words and soon came to blows.

PANIPAT
Lie-detection test: Former minister Bijinder Singh Kadian has said that former Transport Minister Om Prakash Jain should undergo narco-analysis and lie-detection tests to prove his innocence. Jain, who had to put in his papers after he was accused of accepting a bribe from Karam Singh had been under fire from opposition leaders ever since the ex-sarpanch of Kambopura village had allegedly been murdered in Karnal.

REWARI
76 donate blood: As many as 76 persons donated blood at a camp held jointly by the Kosli units of the Yuva Shyam Sewa Sangh, the All-India Panchnad Smarak Samiti, the All-India Rural Development Society and the District Red Cross Society to mark World Blood Donors Day at Kosli on Tuesday.

SIRSA
Seminar: Dr RP Bajpai, Director-General of MM University, Mullana, and former Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University and Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, on Wednesday said a revolution had taken place that had put biotechnology and food technology at the heart of all biological sciences with extensive applications in agriculture, health, industry and environment. He was addressing scientists and teachers after inaugurating a seminar on “Basic techniques in bio-technology, food technology and bio-informatics”.

SONEPAT
Sant Kabir remembered: “The life and teachings of Sant Kabir are rare examples of communal harmony, social amity and he will always be remembered for his crusade against untouchability and superstitions,” said Haryana Speaker Kuldeep Sharma while paying tributes to Sant Kabir at a programme organised here on Wednesday by the Kabir Samaj Jagriti Manch on his 613th birth anniversary. He exhorted people to follow the teachings of Sant Kabir.

DEHRADUN

DEHRADUN
Two held: The police on Wednesday arrested two persons, Jagdish Kaur and Babla, for allegedly pelting the police and a municipal team with stones during an anti-encroachment drive in Nehru Colony this month. The police arrested them on the basis of photos published in newspapers. It had registered a case against 200 persons and 15 to 20 have been identified through pictures published in newspapers. The police said the other accused would also be sent behind bars.

One killed: One person was killed while two others sustained serious injuries when a Maruti Van fell into a gorge near Nigyana village of Tehri Garhwal district on Wednesday. Sixty-year-old Purna Devi died on the spot. The injured have been referred to a Dehradun hospital by Nainbagh health officials for further treatment.

Memo submitted: On the third day of their protest, members of the Anganwadi Karyakatri/ Sevika Karamchari Union submitted a memorandum to the Child Development and Women Empowerment Department here on Wednesday. They are demanding the release of their salaries immediately that are pending for three months. They also demanded that facilities like social protection, pension, gratuity and provident fund.

Held for cheating: Acting on a tip-off, the police on Wednesday arrested a man who used to dupe people at ATMs by exchanging their cards with his card. He has been identified as Kamal Gupta. He withdrew over Rs 3 lakh from the accounts of three persons. The accused used to do this to live a lavish lifestyle.

Kumaon Briefs
Atal Chaupal programme: District Magistrate, Udham Singh Nagar, BVRC Purshottam has asked officials undertaking the verification of developmental works to be sensitive towards the needs and demands of the people. During the Atal Chaupal programme in Khetalsanda village near Khatima, Purshottam directed the officials of the Water and Power Departments to put the services in order by repairing the faulty hand pumps and transformers.

Annual fair at Kainchidham: The annual fair at Kainchidham on the Bhawali-Almora road was held on Wednesday with a large number of people from across the globe thronging the shrine. However, the shrine was opened only till 2 pm on account of lunar eclipse thus shortening the duration of the annual event. Elaborate security and traffic management plans had been put in place for the event. The movement of heavy traffic on the road had been stopped and vehicles were diverted to an alternate route. There was a heavy police deployment to ensure proper law and order in the area. Despite there being showers, there was no let down in the number of people thronging the temple.

Five killed in mishap: Five persons were killed and 24 others injured when a dumper rammed into four tempos carrying passengers near Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district on Tuesday. The mishap took place when the driver of the dumper lost control over the vehicle. Following this, the tempos fell into a ditch adjoining the road while the dumper overturned. The accident took place near Bhatta Bagwara village. The deceased include Talib from Nagla Ganesh village of Rampur, Rita Rawat of Noida and Sarvesh from Mainpuri. The remaining two deceased are yet to be identified.

Bus overturns, 12 hurt: More than 12 persons were injured when the bus they were travelling in overturned near Dhikuli village in Ramnagar on Tuesday. The incident took place when the driver lost control over the vehicle. The bus was on its way from Bhatraujkhan to Ramnagar.

Complaint against drunkards: Residents of Pantkwairali village in Bageshwar have sought the intervention of the district administration in dealing with the nuisance being caused by drunkards of the village. They approached the administration with a complaint that drunkards create a nuisance in the village till midnight and women and children fell insecure on account of their activities. In a letter to the administration, they said the police had failed to take any step. They requested for the early resolving of the issue.

(Compiled by Rajeev Khanna)