R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Chandigarh
PSPCL call centres in 47 more towns: Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is all set to launch customer care centres in 47 more towns. An official spokesman said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had directed the PSPCL authorities to ensure setting up of these centres across the state to facilitate prompt redressal of grievances of power consumers. He said the call centers would be opened in towns having a population more than 30,000. The PSPCL has installed integrated software for computerisation of its business process, which has already been customised and is under test run at Patiala and Mohali.

Govt to hold milk testing camps: The Punjab Dairy Development Department has decided to organise milk adulteration testing camps in all districts with a view to providing quality and unadulterated milk to the people, besides making them aware about the quality of milk. Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said for this purpose, the government had provided eight mobile vans for taking samples of milk. He said orders had also been issued to hold surprise testing of milk. Milk would be checked by experts and test reports would be provided to consumers on the spot, he said, adding that the mobile vans would also test the quality of fodder.

Malout
Man arrested with 5-kg poppy husk: Police on Sunday arrested a resident of Kaoni village, Ujagar Singh, after allegedly recovering 5-kg poppy husk from his possession. A case under various sections of the NDPS Act has been registered at the City police station. The police said the accused was arrested following a tip-off at a naka laid near the octroi post.

Phagwara
Labourer dies: One migrant labourer from Bihar died and other fell unconscious when they were sprinkling pesticide in the fields at Sarhali Village on Friday evening. Mithlesh and Raman were admitted to the Civil Hospital. Mithlesh died in the hospital.

HARYANA

Chandigarh
Ministerial forum: Haryana Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal will represent India in the Asia Pacific Ministerial Forum at Bangkok. She will deliver a presentation on “Transforming Education in Haryana Through ICT” on Monday. The Education Ministers from 24 countries would participate in the forum being organised in collaboration with UNESCO.

Conference: Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia has called upon the company secretaries to prepare such business models under which profit making and social welfare go hand in hand. The Governor was addressing the company secretaries at the inaugural session of a conference held on the theme of “Emerging Opportunities for Professionals: Present Economic Scenario” here.

Karate c’ship: Players from Haryana have brought laurels to the nation and the state by bagging 25 medals in the International Karate Championship held in Bhutan recently. An official spokesman said 31 players of Gurgaon district participated in this championship. They won five gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals. As many as 105 players from India participated in the championship.

Kurukshetra
PO arrested: The police has arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) Samshad of Shahapur district in UP who was declared a PO by a court on March 21, 2009. A case under Sections 406, 420, 379 and 120 of the IPC was registered against him at Thana Babain in this district.

10 booked: The police has registered a case against 10 persons for manhandling the police personnel on duty and obstructing the police in discharging its duty in Nakhrojpur village.

7-day workshop: Dr MM Goel, Professor of Economics and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kurukshetra University, who was the chief guest at a function of a seven-day workshop on “Research Methodology for Social Sciences”, said “ “The use of software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is necessary but not sufficient in social science research. To make it sufficient, there is a strong case for proper analysis to draw policy implications.”

Two booked: Balbir Singh, Assistant Plant Production Officer, Kurukshetra, lodged a complaint with the police that 250 bags of fake DAP Marked IFFCO fertiliser had been recovered from a room in the fields from Chammukalan village under Thana Ismailabad on Friday. The police has registered a case against two persons in this regard.

Pilot programme: To bring dropout children to main stream, Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Brar called upon all religious and social voluntary organisations to come forward to bring six to 14-year-old children to the main stream of basic education. Brar was addressing students after inaugurating a special pilot programme “From Darkness to Light” held under the Right to Education Act at Janata Senior Secondary School here recently.

Foodgrain stock: Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar has directed all government agencies to make arrangements for adequate foodgrain stock and any slackness in this regard would be taken seriously. The dispatching and maintenance of wheat stock should be according to the guidelines of the state government. Brar was reviewing the foodgrain stock conditions in a meeting held at the mini-secretariat on Friday.

DEHRADUN

Cong ticket sought for Doon Mayor: Members of the Dehradun District Congress on Sunday organised a meeting to urge the party high command to give party ticket to former Dehradun Mayor Manorama Dobriyal Sharma for the Tehri byelection. Presiding over the meeting, Savitri Bharti, state secretary of the state Women’s Congress, said Manorama Dobriyal Sharma was the most popular leader in the region and appealed to the party high command to give him party ticket for the Tehri byelection. Meanwhile, spokesperson for the UKD (Democratic) Satish Semwal said either BD Raturi or Diwakar Bhatt would be their party candidate for the Tehri byelection.

Rajkumar's entry into Cong flayed: Former Congress MLA Rajesh Junwatha has opposed the entry of expelled BJP leader Rajkumar into the Congress. Junwatha said Rajkumar had contested against him from Purola and expressed resentment that the party leadership should have taken him into confidence before inducting Rajkumar into the party.

Eye donation centre opened: Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital has opened an eye donation centre. The hospital also plans to open an eye bank shortly. According to Medical Superintendent Dr Ved Prakash, people can now voluntarily donate their eyes in Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital.