R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Chandigarh
Govt to act against absentee officers: The Punjab Government has asked all departments to submit consolidated quarterly reports regarding absentee officers and employees in a week in order to expedite the removal/dismissal process against them. An official press release said it was imperative for the departments to take expeditious decision regarding their dismissal or removal or to demote them; and the administrative departments concerned should submit consolidated action taken quarterly reports till the 30 of every month to the Chief Secretary for proper monitoring purposes.

Dairy farmers to get training: The Punjab Government will train dairy farmers to equip them with latest technology in the field. The first batch would commence from August 26, Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said on Sunday. The 45-day programme will be held at dairy training centres in Bija, Tarn Taran, Phagwara, Chatamali, Gill, Sardulgarh, Abul Khurana and Verka. Interview for the selection of candidates will be held at the centres on August 16, he said.

Mohali
Food Bill to benefit 80% people: Cong MP: Local Congress MP Ravneet Bittu said the food security Bill would benefit 80 per cent of the people in the state. “Schemes such as the food security Bill, RTE and MNREGA will uplift a large number of people out of poverty,” said Ravneet Bittu.

Patiala
CM directs officials to visit villages: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday directed officials of the state administration to visit villages to take stock of problems at the grassroots level and offer solutions with active support of sarpanches and panches. He said rather than confining themselves to their offices, officials must visit villages and interact with elected representatives and people to solve problems of villages.

Sangrur
Domestic help commits suicide: An 18-year-old girl, who worked as a domestic help at the Lehragaga college principal’s house, allegedly “committed” suicide by hanging herself in her room on Saturday evening. Station House Officer Tejinder Singh said the girl had been working at the principal’s house for the past few years. He said the girl did not leave any suicide note behind. The police would initiate proceedings in the case once the parents of the girl arrive, Singh added.

Tarn Taran
Smugglers’ gang busted; 3 held: The district police has unearthed a seven-member international gang of smugglers, arresting its three members. The police has allegedly seized 1 kg of heroin worth Rs 5 crore from their possession. Sources said the arrested gang members had been identified as Sukhwinder Singh, Harjinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh. Those absconding included Daler Singh, Kala, Sukh and Avtar Singh, all residents of border area villages. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at the Sarai Amanat Khan police station.

CHANDIGARH

Food court:A food court will be opened at the Chandigarh railway station tomorrow (Monday). During an inspection, former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had directed the officials to work out the feasibility of having a multi-level parking at the station.

HARYANA

Hisar
7 booked for murder: The police has booked seven persons in connection with a liquor contractor’s murder in Ghanghala village of the district last night. Mahipal Singh was waylaid when he was going in his Bolero jeep and attacked with sticks by the assailants. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital . The police suspected that the incident was the fallout of a dispute between two liquor contractors in Kalod village.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
Leopard kills Jersey cow: Dhannu Ram, a farmer, lost his Jersey cow when it was attacked by a leopard near his house at Karote village, 20 km from here, yesterday. Reports said the cow, costing Rs 40,000, was grazing in his field when it was killed by the leopard. Villagers raised a noise to scare away the animal. But it had already killed the cow before escaping into a nearby jungle.

Shimla
HPPCL gives Rs 6.49 lakh for Kinnaur: Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) yesterday presented a cheque of Rs 6.49 lakh towards the CM’s Relief Fund in view of the destruction caused in Kinnaur district. Minister for Power Sujan Singh Pathania, Principal Secretary, Power and Personnel, SKBS Negi and DK Sharma, Managing Director, HPPCL, were among those present on the occasion. All employees of the corporation contributed their one-day salary for the same.

Wangtu transmission on turnkey basis: The state Power Transmission Corporation has decided to get the 400/220/66 kV GIS sub-station at Wangtoo in Kinnaur district to be executed on a turnkey basis. The Rs 310-crore project has been awarded to M/s Larson & Tubro after inviting global bids. The sub-station is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.

DEHRADUN

Dehradun
One killed, 1 hurt in landslide: One person was killed while one was severely injured in a landslide in Pithoragarh district on Sunday, officials said. "A passerby was killed while another person sustained serious injuries in a landslide near a mountain the in Jhulaghat area of Pithoragarh district," said officials of the Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre. A team from the local administration rushed to the spot on getting information about the incident. They are trying to ascertain the identity of the affected persons, they said. Meanwhile, most areas of the state witnessed cloudy sky with Met officials predicting rain. Light showers have been reported from a few places.

School gives 51,000 for relief works: Harshvardhan and Dr Aditya Arya of the management team of Himalayan Public School, Dehradun, made a courtesy call on Governor Aziz Qureshi and presented him with a draft of Rs 51,000 for the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Mussoorie
Wins for St George’s, Yuva, Woodstock: St George’s B team trounced Doon International School 5-1 on the second day of the 42nd Jackie Memorial Football tournament being held at the St George's ground today. In the other fixtures, Wynberg Allen defeated Barlowganj by a margin of 3-1, Yuva Club defeated St. George’s C by a margin of 2-0 and Shiva A defeated Col Bron by a margin of 2-0. Digvijay Singh Rawat, Upendar Singh, Samuel Chand, SK Ale, Anand Thapa, Naushad, Arun Tripathi, Dinesh Bhandari were the referees for the today’s fixtures.