Officer who writes his own script

Chandigarh: Hisar Divisional Commissioner Rajiv Ranjan, who was the chief guest at the Republic Day function in Fatehabad on Friday, didn’t read out the speech given to him. Instead, he narrated two anecdotes during his address. The first related to an escape bid by fighter pilots Dilip Parulkar, MS Grewal and Harish Sinhji, who were held as Prisoners of War (PoW) by Pakistan during the 1971 war. The second anecdote goes like this: a youth, who watched a car owner throwing a bagful of banana skins out of his vehicle, picked up the bag and threw it back into the car. “How dare you spoil my town?” the youth hit back when the car driver angrily asked him why he spoiled his car. “The first story shows that Indian faujis do not lose hope even in the most trying circumstances and the other gives a message that all citizens have to be vigilant if the nation is the become clean,” Ranjan said, adding that “Republic Day, and not New Year, should be chosen for making resolutions”. An official said, “Ranjan did not read out a single word from the speech prepared for him.” Maybe, the officer prefers not to go by the script.

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Ambala police not ‘busy’ anymore

Ambala: Have you ever got a busy tone on dialing 100? The Amabla police have a solution in sight. They have launched a software that has been linked to 10 lines to ensure that the line is not busy. Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal said, “People were facing inconvenience in registering complaints as the line used to be busy. Not anymore.” With the software introduced, if someone dials 100, the person will get a welcome message. Then, the software will ask the person to press 1 for police assistance, and then one can register the complaint. 

Colours of nationalism, upside down 

Palwal: The Tricolour was unfurled upside down on the Omaxe City premises here on Republic Day, leading to resentment among residents. “It was shocking. The lapse came to notice after the national flag was unfurled by a gathering led by the vice-chairman of a state government board,” a local resident said.

‘Lal salam’ to Yamunanagar college

Yamunanagar: Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has conferred the Red Cross Award on Mukand Lal National College here for blood donation for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16. College principal Shailesh Kapoor received the award at a function in Chandigarh recently. The first blood donation camp was held in the college on September 5, 1972. Then, 50 units of blood were donated. “We have been the pioneers of the blood donation movement in the area. The college has been celebrating the birthday of its founder, Seth Jai Parkash, by organising a blood donation camp on September 5 every year since 1972. During the past 46 years, the college has donated more than 15,113 units of blood,” Kapoor said. 

Financial grant to 13 persons

Sonepat: National Council of Agriculture Marketing Board chairperson Krishna Gahlaut distributed Rs 42.62 lakh in financial grant among 13 persons, including farmers who were injured while doing agricultural work and widows of farmers, at a programme here on Saturday. Under the Khetihar Jeevan Suraksha Yojana, Rs 5 lakh each were given to seven widows — Sheela of Garhi Mimarpur village, Kanchan of Murthal, Anita of Tihar, Rajwanti of Nahra, Reena of Tihar Malik, Babli of Khewra and Ritu of Bakhtawarpur village. Sukhpal of Moi village was also among the beneficiaries.

Golden touch to students’ run

Sonepat: Vikki Goswamy of Ahir College, Rewari, and Reenu of Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University (CRSU), Jind, have won the quarter marathon in the boys and girls categories, recently. The 8th quarter marathon was organised by the DCR University of Science and Technology, Murthal, recently to mark the state’s golden jubilee celebrations. In all, 1,932 students from colleges and universities of Haryana and other states participated. Akshita (8) was the star attraction, for not only she competed, but also completed the quarter marathon. Cash prizes of Rs 11,000, Rs 6,100 and Rs 4,100 were given to the first, second and third position holders.

Hisar pads up to menstrual hygiene 

Hisar: The movie, ‘Padman’, seems to have set off a campaign in small towns. A Hisar-based group, Nayi Raahein Welfare Society, has started a campaign to distribute sanitary pads among poor women and girls. They have roped in women from well-off families, urging them to donate pads to cooks, maids, labourers and small-time artisans. Umesh Sharma, the brain behind the campaign, said that in one week of the drive, 500 pieces of pads, named “SAAFKINS” manufactured by an American firm, had been distributed. A team of three women have been formed for keeping the campaign afloat. “About 20 women joined us in the first week. We hope the campaign will pick up pace and more women from well-off families will join us,” Sharma said.