R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

ludhiana
PCMSA state president: In a meeting of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) held at Ludhiana on Friday, Dr Hardeep Singh was unanimously re-elected as the state president. The meeting was attended by district presidents and secretaries from all districts of Punjab. Dr Gagandeep Shergill was elected as the general secretary of PCMSA. Dr Jaswant Singh of Mohali will be the senior vice president; Dr Chander Shekher of Faridkot and Dr Harish Bhardwaj of Jalandhar will be the vice presidents.

ropar
Man dies in road mishap: A 25-year-old man, Sandip Paul, was killed when his car collided with a truck at Anandpur Sahib near here on Friday night. The deceased was a resident of Gurgaon and was pursuing a management degree at a Delhi college. The police said Sanjiv along with his friends was going towards Palampur when their Innova hit a truck driven on the wrong side of the road. His friend Parvez Khan was seriously injured in the accident. The truck driver fled the spot. A case has been registered.

sangrur
Youth abducts minor, held:The police has arrested a youth, Yasim Khan, a resident of Dugni village (Dhuri), for allegedly abducting a 17-year-old girl of his village. He has been sent to a 14-day judicial custody. The girl's mother had stated in her complaint that her daughter had left home without informing anything. Later, they came to know that Yasim was also not at home. She stated that she was sure that Yasim had taken her daughter along with him by promising to marry her.

HARYANA

Kurukshetra
Prez at NIT convocation:The 10th convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, will be held on its premises on April 9. NIT Director Prof Anand Mohan said t President Pranab Mukherjee would be the chief guest, while Governor Jagannath Pahadia would grace the occasion. Prof Mohan said the Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was also expected to attend the convocation. 

Sonepat
Fatal firing:In an incident of firing during a marriage celebration at Grah Mirakpur village on Friday, Shalu (13) of Khewra village died and Dilawar (17) of Kheri Manazat village was injured seriously. Doctors at the Civil Hospital referred both victims to the PGIMS, Rohtak. Shalu succumbed to her injuries while being shifted from the PGIMS to Delhi on Friday night. 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

HAMIRPUR
Charge refuted: The newly appointed Ex-Servicemen Corporation Chairman, Col (retd) Uday Chand Katoch, has refuted the charge of certain Congress leaders questioning his loyalty to the party. In a press note, he said he had remained loyal to the Congress after serving the Army for decades.

Ultrasound machines: Hamirpur Chief Medical Officer (CMO) SK Soni has instructed block medical officers (BMOs) to keep a check on unauthorised use of ultrasound machines operating in the area to curb female infanticide. As many as 18 ultrasound clinics are operating in Hamirpur district. 

BSNL employees on dharna: The BSNL Non-Executive Employees Association observed a dharna in front of the BSNL office here on Friday demanding the immediate revision of wages. In a press note, association Chairman AS Kaundal said an agreement was signed between unions and the BSNL management on June 12 last on increasing wages. 

SHIMLA
Planning Board reconstituted: The government has reconstituted the Planning Board under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. Besides all Cabinet ministers, Ram Lal Thakur, Chairman, Planning, Development and 20-Point Programme Review Committee, all chief parliamentary secretaries, all MPs, Chief Secretary, all administrative secretaries, VCs of universities, president, State Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industries and officer-in charge of the regional office, NABARD, HP, will be members of the board. The Adviser, Planning, will be its member secretary. 

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu
Five drug peddlers held: The Kathua Police today arrested five drug peddlers and seized drug substances from their possession. A police party while on patrolling duty at Shiva Nagar near Canal Kathua apprehended five persons and recovered 40 grams smack and 39 intoxicant injections from them, a police spokesperson said. 

DEHRADUN

dehradun
Bandh call for Feb 19: The Doon Udyog Vyapar Mandal has given a call for a complete bandh on February 19 to protest against the local administration's autocratic behaviour. Umesh Agarwal, president of Doon Udyog Vyapar Mandal, said that all the private establishments, shops, petrol pumps, vegetable shops, hotels, dhaba, sweet shops etc will remain closed on February 19. The businessmen have been protesting against the administration's decision to impose a ban on the entry of two-wheelers in Paltan Bazaar, ban on polythene and end of police bandobast in the Paltan Bazaar.

Hike in fuel prices flayed: Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt has condemned the hike in petrol and diesel prices announced by the Central Government. "The hike will have an adverse effect and increase inflation. The Central Government has been increasing diesel and petrol prices on and off and the state government should step in to bring relief to the common man," said Bhatt. He said that the Bahuguna government should reduce VAT on kerosene and bring relief from the hike announced.

Basantotsav celebrated at Nalanda college: The students of Nalanda College of Education celebrated ‘basantotsav’ on the college campus here yesterday. 

Haldwani
Buildings for colleges: The Directorate of Higher Education will try to provide all 30 degree colleges in the state with buildings. These colleges have been waiting for buildings from the last one decade. According to Director, Higher Education, Dr Mukul Pant, besides these institutions, 13 degree colleges in the state have no land. “Our priority will be not only to provide these colleges infrastructure but also accreditation from NAAC that many colleges lack,” said Pant.

Kashipur
Hepatitis shots: Max India Foundation gave hepatitis vaccination shots to 170 children studying at Agnes Kunze Academy today in the rest camp area. Along with carrying out vaccinations, the residents of the area were also urged to keep their surroundings clean. 

Ramnagar
Mining in Koshi, Dabka: People related to the mining business expressed happiness over the Central government decision to allow mining of minor minerals in the Koshi and Dabka rivers. It had allowed mining in the Gaula and Sharda rivers last week. According to Forest Department sources, the permission has been granted for the next 10 year in both rivers. “Thousands of people will be able to get jobs once mining starts in this river as the state government has also issued a notification following the Center’s decision,” said Nishant Varma, DFO of the western division of Terai  forests.

Basant festival: Mythical love tales of the Kumaon and Garhwal regions were presented on the fourth day of the Basantotsav being organised at Ramnagar on Saturday. Thousands of villagers participated in the fair. “The mythical drama, ‘Surajwati’ presented by a cultural troupe from Almora was liked by the audience. It presented the tragic tale of Surajwati whose two sons died after they become victims of a conspiracy by her courtiers,” said Brizmohan Joshi, organiser of the drama.

Ranikhet
24 leopards dead: The number of dead leopards in this season has gone up to 24 after the carcass of a leopard cub was recovered from the Soni forest, near Ranikhet, on Friday evening. “The 1.5-year-old leopard cub having 1.60 metre height and 60 cm width died in a fight with another animal, probably a wild boar,” said Roop Singh Mehra, a forest official.

Rudrapur
Houses for poor: The Nagar Palika, Rudrapur, will construct 400 houses for people belonging to the poor in the Rampura area of Rudrapur town under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. Nagar Palika sources said, “Of the Rs 17.5 crore to be spent on the project, the Nagar Palika has received Rs 6.46 crore,” said Meena Sharma, chairperson of the Nagar Palika.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)