R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Jalandhar
Bus operators protest: The bus and mini-bus operators of the region held a protest outside the office of the RTA Secretary, demanding a revision in the time table here on Monday. They alleged that the new time table had certain flaws. They further alleged that though Punjab Roadways buses had been given 21 schedules, these were being passed on to private operators at a premium.

Phagwara
Burglary: Cash, jewellery and other valuables worth Rs 1.25 lakh were stolen from a house in Mohalla Kaulsar here on Sunday night. The house owner, Harchint Singh, said the family was away to Banga to attend a function and returned home late at night. He added that Rs 25,000 in cash, 10 tola gold and other valuables were taken away by the burglars.

Man attacked: Three unidentified persons inflicted injuries with sharp-edged weapons on a mason identified as Pritam Singh, a resident of nearby Chachoki village and snatched Rs 15,000 in cash from him when he was on his way to home near Chachoki on Sunday night. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

HARYANA

KAITHAL
Sewing Machines distributed: Mr Randeep Surjewala, state Transport, Public Health and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, distributed 80 sewing machines among women at a function organised by the Social Welfare Department at Panchayat Bhavan here on Saturday.

Memorandum: Hundreds of property dealers and plot owners under the banner of the District Property Advisors Association gave a memorandum to state Transport Minister Randeep Surjewala on Saturday. They expressed resentment over the ban on the registration of immovable property in certain areas. They also demanded the withdrawal of the condition of furnishing no-objection certificate for the registration of such property.

DDPO gets judicial remand: The DDPO, Mr M.L. Saini, and his official driver, who were caught in a bribery case, were remanded in 14-day judicial custody by a court here on Saturday. It is learnt that the officer and his driver were arrested by the state Vigilance Bureau while receiving an illegal gratification of Rs 5,000 from the sarpanch of Pai village.

REWARI
Buffaloes rescued: The police intercepted six Canters on the Jaipur-Delhi highway, near here, in the early hours on Saturday and rescued about 87 buffaloes, 12 sheep and 192 goats which were being taken from Jaipur to an abattoir in Delhi. The police arrested nine persons in this regard. Cases have been registered.

Extortion case cracked: With the arrest of Ashu Gujjar and Kishan Sharma, the CIA police here claims to have achieved a breakthrough in the case of extortion pertaining to Sanjay Gupta of Mohalla Bulluwara.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bilaspur
Attack on journalist flayed: The Himachal Pradesh State Journalists has condemned the assault on journalist Vijender Sharma at Jwalamukhi some days ago and has demanded police action against the accused.

Petro traders hail decision: The Federation of All India Petroleum Traders and the HP Petroleum Dealers Association on Sunday hailed the direction of the Central Government to state governments to reduce sales tax and allied taxes on petroleum products.

Shimla
Trust opposes UGC decision: The Aryans Educational and Charitable Trust has opposed the decision of the UGC to give exemption from NET to those who have obtained M.Phil and PhD degrees. Prof D.C. Kataria, Director of the trust, said the decision had been taken under pressure from the UPA government.

Agency must for disabled: Mr Peenam Natrajan, Chairperson, National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, on Sunday stressed the need to constitute a nodal agency in every state to ensure that maximum people benefited from various programmes of the Trust.

UPA blamed for farmers’ plight: Mr Vinod Pande, president of the Bharitya Janata Party Kisan Morcha, on Sunday blamed the policies of the UPA government for the plight of farmers. Addressing a press conference here, he said instead of giving subsidy to poor farmers, the government was procuring foodgrain from abroad at high costs.