R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
DIRECTIVE: The Deputy Commissioner has directed the Health Department to implement the government’s order banning the use of cigarettes and other tobacoo products at public places. The Union Government, through a notification on February 25, had ordered a ban on publicity, production, consumption and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacoo products.

HOSHIARPUR
RAPE: The rape of a girl of Nandachaur has been reported to the Tanda police. According to police sources, Gurdip Singh of Kandhala Jattan village allegedly forcibly took the girl to his room and raped her. The Tanda police has registered a case under Section 376, 342 of the IPC and Section 3 of the SC and ST Act against Gurdip Singh.

THEFT: Miscreants stole gold ornaments worth Rs 10,000 and Rs 22,500 in cash from the house of Surinder Kumar of Radha Swami Colony, Tanda. The Tanda police has registered a case in this connection.

ARRESTED: The Hoshiarpur police has arrested dara satta operator Jasbir Singh of the local Mohalla Bassi Khawaju and recovered slips of dara containing various numbers and Rs 21,305 cash from him.

RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among inhabitants, especially small-scale industrialists of Hoshiarpur, against the PSEB authorities for imposing intermittent undeclared power cuts daily causing great inconvenience and heavy losses to them. The entire city plunged into darkness from 8 p.m. to 11.45 p.m. on Tuesday night due to the imposition of a power cut.

INAUGURATED: Mr Justice H.S. Brar, President, Punjab Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission, inaugurated the office of the District Consumers Disputes Redressal Forum at the New Mini Secretariat here on Tuesday. Mr Justice Brar thanked Mr Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, for providing suitable accommodation for setting up the office of the forum. Earlier, the office was located in a congested rented building.

JALANDHAR
DAIRIES: The Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to re-launch a decisive operation to shift more than 70 dairies from outside its limits to the Jamsher dairy complex near here from July 1. According to sources, the MC authorities had instructed the dairy owners to complete the construction of their sheds at the complex by June 30 following requests made by them last month. The civic body had already shifted more than 200 dairies during a special campaign about three months ago.

TARN TARAN
POWER SUPPLY: A large number of residents of six villages of the area in a memorandum to the PSEB authorities here have demanded adequate power for their tubewells. Representatives of Dhunn, Pakhopur, Rattoke, Karmuwal, Chhota Chohla and Kambo villages on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Mr R.K. Salwan, Deputy Chief Engineer of the local PSEB circle, in this regard. Mr Salwan assured that their grievances would be redressed soon.

HARYANA

SIRSA
DHARNA: Members of the District Youth Congress staged a dharna against poor water supply in the district. Led by Mr Surinder Singh Nehra, vice-president of the state unit, the protesters demanded equal distribution of irrigation and drinking water in the district.

3 HELD: The local police has arrested three persons on charges of forcing Neelam and her son Vipin Kumar to commit suicide at their Chandigarhria Mohalla house here on June 24. The arrested are Kairon Devi and Rajkumar, residents of Hanumangarh and Vijay Kumar, husband of the deceased.

NABBED: The district police has arrested Budh Singh and recovered a huge cache of 360 kg of poppy husk from him. According to the police, the accused was nabbed following a massive drive against narcotic smuggling.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

DHARAMSALA
BJP MEETING: A meeting of the district BJP which was postponed earlier this month, will be held on July 5 at Rest House, Jaiya. Mr Vipin Parmar, district general secretary, said only the office bearers of the party had been invited to the meeting and various issues concerning the district unit would be discussed.

MANDI
WATER SAMPLES: The water samples taken from a local ‘bauli’ the traditional village water source in disuse that had triggered a gastroenteritis outbreak in the Madhavan area last week here have tested negative for the disease. At least 20 persons had been taken ill due to the water, which was found to be unfit for human consumption.