R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Biodiversity Day: The Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and the district Education Department organised a special lecture on “Biodiversity and invasive alien species” at Government Senior Secondary School to mark International Biodiversity Day here on Friday. Baldev Singh presented the keynote address. Krishan Kumar, Principal, and Nitika Bhandari, in charge, Eco Club, also spoke. 

HARYANA

REWARI
Dharna staged: Wearing black badges, mediapersons of Rewari district staged a dharna outside the district secretariat here on Thursday to register their protest against the “apathetic” behaviour of SP Rajender Singh Gehlot. Meanwhile, they also sent a communication to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and others seeking immediate transfer of the district police chief, who reportedly kept a delegation of journalists waiting for a long time and eventually did not think it proper to meet the delegation on Thursday morning. The delegation wanted to seek action against an assailant, who had recently inflicted a grievous injury on a local journalist at Dawana village near here.

ROHTAK
Workshop today: The Department of Education of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) will organise a one-day workshop on “Need-based model for improving quality of evaluation in semester system” on May 23. The head of the Department of Education, Prof Indira Dhull, said Dr RP Hooda, vice-chancellor, MDU, would be the chief guest on the occasion. The workshop will focus on developing effective techniques of evaluation in semester system, identifying various components of evaluation and exploring the possibility of introducing grading system of evaluation in semester system.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KANGRA
Man missing: Bidhi Chand (60), a resident of Bahari Mohala of this town, was reportedly missing under mysterious circumstances allegedly following a threat of liquidation by some persons in a land dispute case. According to complaint lodged by the wife of Bidhi Chand, Neeru Devi, her husband was missing since May 14, following a threat of liquidation by three persons who asked him to stop the construction of a toilet. She in her complaint alleged that after the threat her husband was missing. The police said his photographs have been circulated.

NURPUR
Body found: The Jawali police on Thursday found the body of a man from a field in Matlar village. According to the police, local panchayat pradhan Sadhu Ram first informed the police. The body was identified as that of Ravinder Kumar (32), son of Daya Ram, a resident of Makran village, who had left house last night and did not return. Following preliminary investigations the police suspected murder of the youth who had injury marks on his neck. “After conducting a post-mortem the Jawali police has registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC and handed over the body to his family,” he informed.

SHIMLA
‘Collect degrees’: Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has urged candidates who passed out between 2001-2005 to collect their degrees and medals. An official spokesperson said here on Thursday that addresses of large number of candidates, especially private candidates, could not be traced in the records. In some cases even the gold medals between 1999-2006 are lying with the university. He said the candidates should either collect the degrees and medals personally or through an authorised person.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Jammu
Bhim Singh dissolves committees:Chairman of the Panthers Party Prof Bhim Singh, who is also the chief patron of the Young Panthers, today dissolved all district committees and state committees of the Young Panthers. According to a party statement, Bhim Singh authorised Young Panthers president Ghulam Ali Engineer to reconstitute the district committees within 30 days.

Rajouri
SDM inspects Rajal channel: Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Nowshera, Harvinder Kour has visited the site of the Rajal gravity feeder channel and inspected the pace of work on the project. During the inspection, the SDM was apprised that the 6080 meter long channel has a discharge capacity of 60 cusecs and being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 17.50 crore. The works undertaken include the construction of 395 meter long aqua duct, platform cutting etc.

Srinagar
Poppy crop destroyed: Amid reports of increasing narcotics cultivation in the valley, the police and excise officials in a join operation have destroyed poppy cultivation on over 1,000 kanals in two villages. The police said it destroyed poppy cultivation over 12 kanals in Pinglish and 80 kanals in Kanginag village in Rajpora.Narcotics plants in around 1,000 kanals were destroyed at Marhama and Waghama villages in Anantnag. The poppy cultivation on about 70 kanals was also destroyed at Nowbough and Chadoora villages in Budgam.

Suicide bid by two: Two persons, including a woman, attempted suicide by taking some poisonous substances in the Srigufwara area of Anantnag district on Friday. They have been identified as Fayaz Ahmad Wani and Ruhi. The police has registered cases.

11 hurt in mishaps: Eleven persons have been injured in road accidents in the valley since Thursday, the police said. Seven persons were injured when a Tata Sumo they were travelling in turned turtle near Gulmarg. Four others were injured in separate incidents when pedestrians were hit by passing vehicles.

1 dies in blast:A girl was killed while a boy was injured when an explosive object they were fiddling with blasted in the Handwara area of Kupwara. The police said here today Saleem Gujjar, 12, and Rashida Bano, 5, were injured when some explosive substance exploded in Handwara. Rashida later succumbed to her injuries.