R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Two arrested with  7-kg of opium: Hazari Ram, an employee with a Rajasthan-based newspaper, and his associate, Gobind Singh, were arrested here on Thursday evening for alleged smuggling of narcotics. About seven kg of opium was also recovered by the police from their possession. The duo, arrested near Bakainwala village, located near the India-Pakistan border, was heading towards Amritsar district to deliver the consignment. 

Sangrur
More recovery in teachers’ test scam: The police on Friday recovered Rs 12.2 lakh from Varinder Singh, Kapurthala district president of the Unemployed ETT Union, which raised the total recovery in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) scam to Rs 52.69 lakh. Sangrur SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar claimed that several top office-bearers of the Unemployed ETT Union were allegedly involved in collecting money from candidates for getting them passed in the TET held on July 3. 

Tarn Taran
4 booked for torture: Four members of family have been booked under Sections 498A and 406 IPC for demanding and torturing a woman for dowry. Maninder Kaur has lodged a complaint against her husband Gagandeep Singh, father-in-law Kulwant Singh, mother-in-law Kuldeep Kaur and brother-in-law Jaswinder Singh Jas, residents of Kapurthala. She alleged that the family members used to torture her as she was not able to fulfil the demand of a Scorpio car.

Office-bearers: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district unit of the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Sabha: General secretaries - Sardara Singh Gill, Gurinder Singh Toni and Harjinder Singh Jaura; senior vice-presidents - Kuldeep Singh Safipur, Manjinder Singh Behla, Gurminder Singh Rataul and Ranjit Singh Tharu; vice-presidents - Sukhwinder Singh and Balbir Singh Prince; secretaries - Harjinder Singh Dhillon and Gursahib Singh Gill; press secretary - Avtar Singh Taneja; and legal adviser - Gurinder Singh Sandhu. Gurcharan Singh Walia, district president of the sabha, presided over the election procedure. 

HARYANA

Plantation drive: Kunal Bhadoo, son-in-law of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Friday launched a plantation drive in Fatehabad district under the aegis of Navyug Nirman, an NGO headed by him. He planted saplings at various educational institutions. 

JIND
3 couples get police security: Three more newlywed couples have been provided police security in the district. These couples had approached the district police chief, apprehending threat to their lives from their relatives. More than 10 such couples, who got married against the wishes of their kin, have been given security in the past two years. 

REWARI
Girl commits suicide: Manisha, 17, who failed in the Class XII examination recently, committed suicide by hanging herself at Kalrawas village, near Bawal, on Thursday. The police said she was suffering from mental discomposure that led her to take the extreme step. 

SIRSA
Vanamahotsava function: AICC secretary and MP Ashok Tanwar kicked off a plantation drive in Sirsa district on Friday. A “vanamahotsava” function was held at Ellenabad on the occasion.Tanwar planted a sapling at MRJ Government College grounds. Naresh Ranga, DFO, Sirsa, said the department planned to plant 31 lakh saplings in the district, in July and August. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
Youth arrested: The police has arrested Vinod Kumar of Rampur Kyaar village in Solan on the basis of an FIR registered against him by a girl of Rohin village alleging that the youth took her with him under the assurance of marrying her and raped her for many days. She alleged that Vinod took her in his vehicle on July 15 and even arranged a fake wedding at the Gambhar temple and later took her to his home and kept her there for many days and repeatedly raped her. Later, he claimed that he had never married her. 

2 die of snakebite: Rita Devi (19) of Badgaon village, near Barthin, died of a snake bite even though she was immediately rushed to the Community Health Centre, Barthin, and later to the Regional Hospital here. Reports said Rita was bitten by a snake when she woke up from her bed in her room early this morning.

CHAMBA
Pahari paintings: A 10-day training programme on Pahari miniature paintings and Chamba rumal embroidery concluded at Government Postgraduate College here on Friday. The programme was organised under the “local specific curricula scheme” sponsored by the UGC. On the concluding day, an exhibition of miniature paintings and Chamba rumals was organised in which art specimens prepared by trainees were displayed. Additional District Magistrate Ashwani Chaudhary was the chief guest. 

HAMIRPUR: Paras (5) died of a snakebite on Thursday night under the Nadaun sub- division. According to information, the boy was sleeping with his mother in Tabriana village and complained of stomach ache at midnight. Later, he was taken to a hospital in Nadaun, where he was declared dead due to snakebite. 

KANGRA
1 killed in mishap: A youth was killed and six others were injured in many road accidents in the Kangra valley during the past 24 hours, the police said here on Friday. It said Vipan Kumar (30) of Gang Bheron village on the outskirts of this town was injured in a hit-and-run case at Lohal Gang Bheron. He was rushed to DRPGMC, Tanda, where he was declared dead. He was riding a motorcycle. Sarwan Kumar of Diggar village was injured when a jeep while unloading at Majhin under Jawalamukhi police station started moving in the backward direction. The driver of the jeep was arrested. Another person was seriously injured when his car rolled down 15 ft down at Kuthman on the Pathankot-Mandi NH on Thursday. Meanwhile, Gini Khan, who was riding a motorcycle, was injured when his bike hit with a car at Sihal. 

NURPUR
4 held for fraud: The Jawali police arrested Roop Lal, up-pradhan of the Samkehar gram panchayat, Jagdish Chand and Uttam Chand of Samkehar village on Thursday for allegedly executing a forged will of a deceased person, Harbans Lal, of the same village. A forgery case has been registered on a complaint of Shrishta Devi, wife of the deceased. She had alleged that her brother- in-law Budhi Singh had fraudulently executed a will of her deceased husband in favour of his sons. 

SHIMLA
Cultural exchange with Syria: Syria will soon have an arrangement to facilitate cultural exchange with the state as a part of its efforts to further strengthen the bilateral ties with India. This was stated by Dr Riad Kamel Abbas, Ambassador of Syrian Arab Republic, who called on Chief Minister PK Dhumal at his official residence, here on Friday. A Syrian cultural troupe is likely to participate in the Kullu Dasehra festival. Dhumal expressed gratitude to the Ambassador for his offer to sponsor a Syrian troupe for participation in the festival. Dr Abbas invited the Chief Minister to Syria. 

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Srinagar
Farooq meets Governor: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah met Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here on Friday. During an hour-long meeting, the Governor and Farooq discussed several important issues relating to the speedy socio-economic development of the state. The harnessing of huge new and renewable energy sources in the state for meeting its short and long term clean energy requirements also came up for discussion during the meeting.

DEHRADUN

DEHRADUN
Polythene bags seized: A team of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) on Friday seized polythene bags from Niranjanpur Sabzi Mandi. One of the shopkeepers was also fined Rs 1,000. The also demolished encroachments near the railway station. 

Strengthening of van panchayats: State Forest Minister Govind Singh Bisht has emphasised the strengthening of van panchayats in the state. Interacting with senior forest officials, efforts should be made to make van panchayats self-sufficient. The minister also emphasised promoting eco-tourism. Principal Chief Conservator (Forests) RBS Rawat informed the minister about the initiatives taken by the department to strengthen the van panchayats. State Forest Secretary MH Khan was also present.

Resentment over privatisation: Resenting privatisation, employees of the National Federation of Telecom, Dehradun, held a demonstration at the main gate of Cross Road, BSNL office. They raised slogans against against the BSNL management and the Central Government. 

22 donate blood: The Indian Medical Association Blood Bank, Uttarakhand, organised a voluntary blood donation camp at Gaurav Constructions Limited, Selaqui Industrial area, on Friday. As many as 22 persons donated blood. 

Kumaon Briefs

Ex-Prez to attend Kumaon varsity’s convocation: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam will be the chief guest on the occasion of the convocation of Kumaon University to be held on August 10. “We have constituted 19 sub-committees to make all arrangements,” said Prof PS Anand, campus director of the university.

Minister visits Kaladhungi health centre: State Health Minister Bansidhar Bhagat visited the Primary Health Centre, Kaladhungi, on Friday. He inspected the facilities being provided to patients. Later, the minister held a meeting with doctors of various government hospitals in Haldwani. At the meeting, he assured that the newly constructed building of Women’s Hospital in Haldwani would soon be equipped with essential equipment.

Rs 94.60 crore for water schemes in Almora: The District Water and Sanitation Committee has sanctioned Rs 94.60 crore for 104 potable water schemes in Almora district. Seventy schemes have been given to the Swajal Pariyojana, 14 to the Peyjal Nigam and 20 to the Jal Sansthan. Zila Panchayat chairman Mohan Ram Arya said the construction of toilets in villages would be on top priority.

Alert sounded in areas near Banbasa barrage: The administration has sounded an alert in areas near the Banbasa barrage as the level of the Sharda has risen to 1.74 lakh cusecs, which is above the normal level. The level has gone up due to heavy rains in the hills in the past few days. Makeshift shops near the Sharada Ghat in Tanakpur had also been removed, said SC Dwivedi, SDM (Tanakpur).

788.6 mm of rainfall in state so far: A total of 788.6 mm of rainfall has been experienced in the state from January 1 to July 17 this year. An average rainfall is 1433.4 mm in a year, according to Dr HS Kushwaha, a meteorologist at the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. He predicted more rain in the Terai region in the coming week.

Farmers for payment of pending dues: Farmers owing allegiance to the BKU on Friday threatened to boycott the sowing of the sugarcane crop till sugar mills make the payment of their pending dues amounting to Rs 8 crore. “Since February, farmers have not been paid by sugar mills," said Karam Singh, a BKU leader.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)