Jalandhar, August 7, 2013: Famous Indian Ocean Band is coming to LPU on August 8 at 4 pm.

According to available information, Band will comprised of Susmit Sen (Guitar,Vocals), Asheem Chakravarty (Tabla, Tarang, other Percussion & Vocals), Rahul Ram (Bass Guitar, Vocals) and Amit Kilam (Drums, Gabgubi, Recorder & other Percussion).

DATE: THURSDAY, 8TH AUGUST, 2013

TIME: 4:00 PM

VENUE:  NEAR UNI MALL, LPU

Also one official of DDA and an owner & partner, both of a private firm in a bribery case of Rs.30 lakh

New Delhi/Jalandhar, August 7, 2013: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested three officials of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and one official of Delhi Development Authority while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.30 lac from the Owner of Gurgaon-based private firm. The owner and partner, both of the said firm have also been arrested while offering the bribe to public servants.

It was alleged that these officials of MCD were taking the bribe amount on behalf of a Superintendent Engineer; Executive Engineer; Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineer, all of the MCD for granting regularization in an improper manner for a Banquet Hall at Wazirpur Industrial Area, New Delhi.

The CBI got information that the accused officials of Municipal Corporation of Delhi had called the owner of Gurgaon based private firm to a location in Pitampura, Delhi for a part payment of Rs.30 lakh out of Rs. 50 lakh for which the deal was allegedly struck between the parties for grant of regularization to the Banquet Hall. The CBI laid a trap and arrested the accused persons along with bribe money.

Searches were conducted today at 15 places. During the search at the house of a Junior Engineer of MCD, an amount of Rs. 40 lakh (Approx.) has been recovered. Similarly, the search at the residence of one of the arrested accused of MCD, cash amounting to Rs. 30 lakhs and jewellery has been recovered.  The searches are continuing.

Further investigation is in progress. 

Sonipat (Haryana)/Jalandhar, August 7, 201: Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda today called upon the graduating students of the O.P.Jindal Global University to harness new ideas and innovations for the betterment of society.

Addressing the Second Convocation of the University,  Hooda said that society and the nation have done their duty by investing in your education and now it was your turn to return it, by becoming responsible citizens and by doing constructive and producing work. Today was also the Founder’s Day of the University and the 83rd birth anniversary of O.P.Jindal.

Hooda said that human resource development is the most critical component in the task of nation building and improving the quality of education is the major challenge before the country. We in Haryana, are trying to meet the challenge by improving the physical structure and the quality of education. In past 8 years, a number of educational institutions have been set up in Haryana. Rajiv Gandhi Education City has been set up in Sonipat itself, where world class institutions of higher education will have their campuses. We have set up a Women’s University at Khanpur, a Central University in District Mahendergarh, Animal Sciences University at Hisar and University of Health Sciences at Rohtak. The National Defence University is coming up in Gurgaon. The Indian institute of Management has started functioning at Rohtak. A number of profressional and technical institutions have also been set up in the State, like the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship Management (NIFTEM), Central Institute of Plastic Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Footwear Design & Development Institute(FDDI) etc. Very soon Haryana will become en Education Hub, he said.

The Chief Minister, Hooda commended the efforts being made by O.P.Jindal Global University in making  strides in higher education. I am sure the ideas and values being provided by the University to its students would stand them in good stead, he said.

Presiding over the convocation Justice Arjan K. Sikri, a Judge of the Supreme Court of India emphasized  on the need for raising the quality of higher education and legal education, which are critical for the future of India. He asked the students to have confidence in their potential and should charter their own course and destiny.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for Human Resource Development delivered the Convocation Address. Congratulating the new graduates, he said that education is your foundation and you have to do your best for yourself, for the country and the world. Learning never stops. You may disagree with others, but you must respect other’s views.

Ashwani Kumar, Governor of Nagaland congratulated the graduate students and asked them never to compromise on quality. There is no shortcut to success and you have to work hard with honesty to achieve success. You should have courage to bring change, he said.

Naveen Jindal, Chancellor of the University said that the exposure, which the students have been gaining at the University is local, national as well as international, truly justifying the word ‘Global ‘. At the University we are striving to develop world class research and teaching that is socially beneficial and globally relevant.

93 students from the Jindal Global Law School, Jindal Global Business School and Jindal School of International Affairs of the O.P.Jindal Global University graduated today and were given degrees at the glittering Convocation at the campus of the University.

Earlier, Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Raj Kumar presented the welcome address and the report.

Army and Himachal Pradesh police personnel alongwith local people evacuate the residents of Tihra Lines village near Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) on Wednesday.
The area was hit by a massive land slide today morning.
Debris of the quarters that were swept away in a major landslide in Tihra lines near Dharamsala Town while few houses were left teetering on edge of the cliff. Entire hillock caved in on Wednesday causing damages to the house of local residents.
Residents of Tihra lines village alongwith their belongings took shelter in a transit camp set up by Indian Army.  
Even there was an elderly patient in the transit camp set up by Indian Army.
Text and Photos: Shyam Sharma/Dharamsala

Ludhiana, August 7, 2013: BJP Mahila Morcha national president Saroj Pandey on Wednesday has said announced that the the Morcha would play a key role in the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place next year.

Addressing a state-level meeting of the Morcha, she said the Morcha members would not only work as active workers in the parliamentary elections but also contest elections. She told that at every polling booth two women party workers would be deployed alongwith their male counterparts. She said she would try to get maximum tickets for the Morcha leaders in the next Lok Sabha polls.

She asked the Morcha workers to get ready for attending a convention that would actually be a training camp for them in view of the parliamentary polls.

Strongly condemning the UPA-led government at the Centre, she regretted that the Centre had been failing in providing secured environment to women across the country. She also opposed the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for series of scams occurred during its tenure.

Among others, state BJP president Kamal Sharma and district president Parveen Bansal were also present.

Ludhiana, August 7, 2013: BJP Mahila Morcha members on Wednesday evening burnt an effigy of Pakistan as a mark of protest against the killing of five Indian Soldiers by Pakistan.

Addressing the protestors the Morcha leaders sought that the Indian Government should adopt a tough stand to deal with the situation.

The Morcha leaders asserted that instead of going for peace talks there was a need to give befitting reply to Pakistan.

Protestors shouted slogans against Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the BJYM men at Doraha, Payal, and Sahnewal also lodged a protest against Pakistan.

They shouted slogans against Pakistan and demanded that the Indian Government should scrap all ties with Pakistan as a mark of protest.

RECENTLY, renowned fiction Hindi writer Dr. Sushil Kumar Phull’s one of the most widely acclaimed short stories `Hori Ki Vaapsi’ find place in a Hindi Text Book, ‘Kahani Gulshan’, of University of Kerala. This story satirically exposes the exploitation of farmers at all levels and the incongruities of the police and the politicians. It has already been translated into many languages, including English, Malyalam, and Oriya. It was acclaimed as one of the best stories at national level by Kamleshwar in Bhasker Rachana Parv. Dr. Phull has more than 50 books published to his credit. He has already won the State Literary Award and also HP Academy Award twice for his novels and short stories. On a special request made by City Air News, Dr. Phull has sent this story to us for our Readers. EDITOR

Here’s the heart touching story:

Return of the Hori

He sat on the left bank of the river Beas. Completely exhausted. Intermittently he would take out a handful of angora wool from his gunny bag and throw it into the turbulent waters. It disappeared in no time. He felt as if he had been thrown into the turbulent waters. He was caught in the murky cobweb of powers that be. Just like a leopard caught in a booby trap laid by the hunters.

  The mountains were receiving heavy bouts of snow and the valley had suddenly grown cold. It was the time, in fact, when the shepherds living in the upper ranges of snowy mountains of Himachal would start migrating to lower hills along with their flock of sheep. It was an annual feature to come down the mountains before the onset of the winter and to migrate back at the start of summers in May. The whole exercise was part of their search for greener pastures for their flock.

       The caravan of Gaddis (nomad shepherds) would include hundreds of sheep and goat, watch dogs, besides a horse and a mule carrying their domestic kitchens. They would stop anywhere in the open for the night unmindful of the vagaries of nature……The head shepherd with the lamb in his shawl will march on with his Hubble bubble. Instinctively, the shepherd would eke a sound ‘Hoosh, hoosh…’ a slang meaning thereby that the flock should go on and on.

        While sitting on the bank of the river, Rama Kant felt as if someone was chasing him making a similar sound ‘Hoosh, hoosh’. He saw behind but there was no one. The shepherd also looked back. May be he also heard a similar sound that disturbed him. How sturdy and determined the tribals are, he thought. The entire Universe is their home. How sweet to live under the roofless sky.

        The ‘Hoosh, hoosh’ sound had stuck with his ears. As if someone was driving him from behind like a horse whose reigns were in other hands. The poor fellow.

         There were streams of people coming to see his newly established farm. In fact, many of the visitors had not ever seen domesticated angora rabbits in this part of the country. Most of them, however, were conversant with the hares that dominated the Greek fables written by Aesop or the didactic Panchtantra tales by the Indian author Pandit Vishnu Sharma.

           “How lovely’” exclaimed a lady visitor. “Where did you get these from? They are so white,” she said.
           “From Germany.
            “I see. How much does it cost?”
             “One thousand rupees a piece.”
             “So costly?”

             In the meanwhile more visitors poured in, mostly from the plains. And then the endless question-answer session began.

            “How much wool does a single rabbit grow?”

            “Approximately one kilogram annually.”

            “Uncle what is its optimum life span?” a curious child would ask.

             “Six to eight years.”

            Then someone would ask, “What is its litter size?”

            “Four to twenty kids at a time.”

                  This would surprise them. Twenty at a time, it meant twenty thousand bucks delivered. And on an average 100 rabbit babies from one doe in a year. Ah what a short cut to riches over night, someone would express his astonishment. Another curious visitor would suggestively comment, “Can’t they be raised in the plains? Tell me the way out. There is no tax on farm produce. The rabbits will convert the black money into our white treasure. We shall not have to run after people for fictitious loans then.”

            Rama Kant would tell them seriously that it required a temperature ranging from 10 degrees to 26 degrees to raise the rabbits. The German angora rabbits enjoy cold climate. And if they were to be raised in hot climate, artificial cold conditions will have to be created and maintained. But the production of wool per animal would be comparatively much less. The enthusiast in the audience would blurt out, “Sir, you are so simple. You have not followed me. We just want to convert our black money into the white. Please give me ten pairs.”

                 He would feel on top of the world. After all he had taken the right decision. When he had passed out from the University with Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary and Animal Sciences, his well wishers pressed upon him to join the government service. It was the easiest and the surer way to watch one’s interest. Moreover majority of the hill people either joined the Army or went for other government jobs. The educated lot kept waiting for entry into jobs even for years together. The holdings of the farmers were so small that they were unable to sustain the families.

                    Initially Rama Kant had also thought of joining some private concern but his father suggested that he should go for his independent enterprise as any job was symbolic of subordination and slavery. And in the hills, transfers to difficult areas at the behest of politicians were a common practice. That always made things worse for the affected persons. After a great deal of thinking, he had thought of establishing a poultry farm but when he found that he would have to deposit rupees two lakh  as seed money in order to raise loans from the bank, he dropped the idea. He wanted to start his enterprise with the minimum of investment. So he established a German Angora Rabbit Breeding farm with a unit of 8+2 rabbits. And within a year, he had more than hundred fifty rabbits at his farm.

                     One day the state director of Animal Husbandry called him and advised, “You are a qualified Veterinary Doctor. There is no scope in rabbit breeding. Why don’t you come and join the department. Even the lamb wool has no future. Decide and come. Don’t waste time.

            “Sir, the government advises young people to go for self-employment.”
             “It is all publicity, politics of votes. Just to brainwash the people.”
            “Sir, kindly get me a few pure strain German Angora Rabbits from the government farm. May be just five in number, I will manage rest of the things for myself,” he implored.
            “It is not possible. Only the Animal Husbandry Minister is empowered to allow that. Moreover you do not fall in his constituency.”
            Rama Kant looked at him with disdain but did not say anything.
            Rama Kant felt someone was following him with the sound ‘Hoosh, hoosh.’
            The elections to the State Assembly were approaching fast. A number of packages were announced by the government to lure the voters.
           
            They were trying to woo the farmers also. A slogan had caught the fancy of the people: Work for every hand and drinking water for every home. Rice for four annas a kg and wheat flour at two annas per kg. The manifestoes declared that there would be support price for farm produce and also market intervention scheme for other commodities. He was encouraged when the department people came to buy angora wool from his farm. The payment was made on the spot. They also provided rabbit feed. But it was only for once. Never to be repeated.

            There were now heaps of wool at his farm. It was a problem to store the wool in large quantities. The shepherds and rabbit breeders were in a quandary. When they started uniting to safe guard their interests, the concerned Minister asked them not to worry at all. He said, “You store the wool for the time being and when the rates go up, you sell it. The department is with you. To eradicate this problem, the government has decided in principle to save the farmers from exploitations. A wool federation is going to be set up soon. Its annual budget would be not less than two crores.”

            They came to know that the Chairman of the Federation had already been appointed. A person who had lost his security deposit in the recent assembly elections was now tipped as chairman. He was itching to enter the assembly but wanted to grab some position that would help him in active electioneering.  Though he himself was an apple orchadist but it was made to publicise that he would keenly safeguard the interests of the wool producers. Rama Kant thought that the entire social system had gone corrupt. The officials have already been appointed which would mean, a huge exchequer on their salaries and perks. The farmers were the last priority. It was a somersault to accommodate the dissidents. Soon after assuming the office, the Chairman convened a meeting of sheep breeders. He went philosophical and said, “You have been tending sheep for generations together. You know how to spin wool even while walking on a road. It is, in fact, in your blood. You should produce your own goods. It will fetch you better dividends. No doubt, the Wool Federation will definitely purchase lamb wool, may be at a slightly less rate. They say it was sold at sixty rupees but now we won’t be able to pay more than sixteen rupees per kilogram.
            ‘But I can’t understand one thing. Rabbit rearing is a new venture. It has been adopted by the rich. Angora wool sells fifty times higher than the lamb wool. You are simpletons. Why do you plead their case. We can’t allocate the entire budget for them. In fact, it is for you, the nomads of hills.

            “And more over you are not dying of hunger. You are not eating mango stones like the starving Orrisa people do. Moreover the Union Agriculture Minister at the Centre is from this hill state. You know food stocks are rotting in godowns throughout the country. It is a sign of national prosperity.”

            After a pause, the Chairman continued, “Hard luck. Now the Election Commission of India has issued a notification for the assembly elections and a code of conduct has come into operation. No announcement, no decision can be taken, otherwise I would have announced an immediate raise in the procurement price of lamb wool.” Most of the shepherds present there shook their heads like sheep. But Julfee could not restrain himself and said, “I can’t make what you mean. There is contradiction somewhere. It is all confusion. You are Chairman of the Federation. How does the code of conduct affect you Sir?”

            The Chairman said, “Julfee ram, you will not understand the intricacies. Suppose the government changes tomorrow. I will not be the Chairman. So I am inclined to contest elections for the Legislative Assembly. This is the point.”

            Julfee Ram smiled with an evident grain of contempt. He felt like spitting on his faceHow ridiculous. The Minister has a number of hotels at tourist spots. He adds storeys to them every year. And here my flock is shrinking day by day. The irony of migrating to lower hills in winter and the journey back on the onset of the summers.

            Disbelief was writ large on his face. He felt like a sacrificial lamb at the altar.

            The wily Animal Husbandry Minister then invited the Angora rabbit Breeders on another day. He said, “You are all rich people. Angora wool sells at premium rates. The shawls made of Angora wool sell like hot cakes and that to at higher prices. May I suggest, you hoard wool like business men. And when there is scarcity, you can sell it at exorbitant rates. The big businessmen exploit the market and earn to their advantage. Don’t let the opportunity slip away.”

            An agitated poor rabbit-breeder interrupted, saying, “There is nothing to feed rabbits. And you are talking of hoarding wool.”   

            “Let them graze in the open.”

            “Foolish.” Rama Kant mumbled. How cunning and ignorant the Minister was. Instead of solving the problems, he was teaching them to cheat. A big fraud.

            Posing to be a messiah of farmers, the Minister said, “The times have come when we should go for diversification of crops. The farmers cannot survive on one crop. Apart from rabbit rearing, you should go for cultivation of flowers, raise honey-bees and also try fisheries. The way to earn is quite simple but you have to take initiative. You will be rich in no time.”

            Rama Kant was bored with polemics       of the Minister, who was simply suggesting nonsensical things. He had already tried sericulture, floriculture but since there was no proper marketing facility, the small farmers invariably suffered losses. It was easier said than done.

             Had he opted for a government job, he would have been much relieved earning at least twenty to twenty five thousand. There is no management worth the name in the state. The farmers are committing suicides even in rich states like Punjab and Kerala, but the government simply denies the facts attributing these deaths to family feuds. But what about the suicide notes found. The farmers ended their lives because they could not repay the bank loans taken for progressive farming. The leaders talk about the likes of Horis found in the novels of great Hindi writer Munshi Prem Chand. The return of the Hori disturbs Rama Kant. Hori worked like a donkey throughout his life but the crops were always harvested by the money lender as Hori was not able to pay the increasing interest on the amount taken by him years ago. When the hero of Prem Chand’s novel nears death, he wants to give a cow in the charity to the Brahmin or two annas in lieu of that but he is not allowed to do so. Rama Kant was enacting the profile of Hori in the modern times. How clever the politicians are, he thought. He felt as if someone was driving him from behind saying “Hoosh, hoosh…” Nothing will change, he murmured. Sir Chhotu Ram, the champion of farmers is no more. He was the man who reminded the farmers to care for their headgears 9turbans), a symbol of their respect but these lotus, politicians are made up of stuff that smacks only of self promotion at the expense of the public. The crooks. There was no way out. The farmers will have to do something themselves.
            But there were no buyers for angora wool. Not even the government department bothered about it. His store was full. It had started stinking. He called a part at Amritsar on phone. The prospective buyer had rang him up a few days ago. Rama Kant was hopeful. He told that he would supply the wool then and there. It was ready in stock.

            “Please do transport it to Amritsar. I can’t come. I am busy awfully. However, I will pay the cartage etc.”

            “Rate per kg?”
            Only after physically verifying I could say but you will not be a loser. Rest assured.”

            “I bring it tomorrow by mid noon.”

            “You com any time. I shall be in the factory up to six in the evening.”

            Rama Kant heaved a sigh of relief. He would be able to dispose bulk of the wool. He hired a Tata Sumo and loaded it with bags full of wool. He started early at six in the morning.

            He reached the exit barrier of the hill state. The officers at the barrier certified that the farmers’ produce was free from any excise or any other tax. As soon as he crossed into the Punjab state, the excise and taxation authorities checked his papers and said, “Yes, you can go. The item is exempt from any tax. The farmers should have at least this exemption.” Rama Kant felt elated and obliged.

            He had covered only a distance of 5 to 7 kilometers, when a Police Gypsy signaled him to stop.

            The vehicle had come to a stop. They were checking the relevant papers.

            “He has jumped the barrier,” one of the policeman said.

            “Sir, I had shown all the papers to them. They had allowed me to go ahead. It is a tax free produce.”

            “But why did you not get it verified on the papers you have. Stamping is a must.”

            Sir,” he implored, almost beggingly. The police here is so harsh and the hill policeman, how simple and helping, he thought.

            “The same barrier men have sent a message to us on mobile.” He was told.
            Hori was caught in another kind of noose. It was not the moneylender’s but that of the police. He said, “Sir, I did show the papers to the police there and they cleared me.”
            “Look here, we are also duty bound. Elections are not held being in the hill state alone. Here, in Punjab also, the state will go to elections after a couple of months.” One of the policemen explained. “We have also been given a target by our government. We have to collect twenty five lac rupees in one month. From where should we get this money. We must snatch it from people like you. We don’t differentiate between a thief and a saint. We must complete our targets. If you don’t want to be harassed, just hand over fifty thousand rupees,” the Excise and taxation Inspector said in an obliging tone.

            “Fifty thousand?”
            “Yes, fifty thousand only.”

            “I don’t have even five thousand in my pocket. Sir, it is a tax free item.”

            “Elections are never tax free. We know how to achieve our targets. That enables us to get promotion, in turn.”

            “Please have pity on me,” Rama Kant said almost weepingly. He felt as if he was being treated as a sacrificial lamb…They would flay his skin even.

            “If you don’t have money, does not matter. Off load the vehicle and we shall sell the wool and convert it into money,” the officer with frightening moustaches ordered.

            The policemen swung into action and soon emptied the vehicle leaving only one bag behind.

            Hori turned Rama Kant fainted and fell on the ground.

(Translated from Hindi by the Author.)

Creative Eye’s social drama ‘Rishton Ke Bhanwar Mein Uljhi – Niyati’, the long running social drama has totally new tracks with a completely new plot.  The show has recently taken a new twist with new star cast.  Kiran Bhargava, the renowned television star is one of them.  She was last seen in ‘Diya Aur Baati Hum’.  She is one of the most sought-after actresses today in Tellywood.  She plays Sulochana Dubey in Niyati.  We talk to this actress about the show and her role…

How did you decide to take up Sulochana Dubey’s role?

I have been doing good roles since I entered the tinsel world.  I was in search for a powerful character role.  Creative Eye’s team was very keen to choose me for Sulochana Dubey’s role.  They offered me and immediately I accepted this role.

Tell us about your role?

I play the role of grandmother of the male lead Tabrez Khan.  It is an interesting role and I am looking forward to it.

What is the show all about?

The show has gone through some changes.  The production house is working hard in giving this show a different new look with powerful sequences.

Your journey so far in the Television industry?

My journey has been good.  ‘Shobhayavati Bhava, Mein Teri Pehchaan Hoon, Sujata, Agle Janam, Dil Se Di Dua, Saas Bina Sasural are my shows in which I have given my best performance.

How is working with Aastha Chaudhary and Tabrez Khan?

Both are good actors and doing their best to the characters.  As a co-stars I am enjoying working with both on the sets. 

And what is the real Kiran Bhargava?

Oh.. I am basically a patient person.  I am very loving and extremely protective.  I follow the live-and-let live philosophy.

If you get a chance to change anything about yourself, what would it be? 

I am very honest person.  I would never change myself to suit someone else.

At this point in your career, what do you desire the most?

I have just been asking God to give me more energy so that I can work more.  I want to enjoy my work and my life to the fullest.

The first step to gain knowledge is to know that we are ignorant. Both the terms ignorance and knowledge are the two opposite sides of the same coin.The term coin represents human being. Think deeply root remains in darkness, i.e., ignorance under the earth whereas tree grows in sun light,i.e., knowledge.

One of the greatest joys known to man is to take a flight of ignorance in search of knowledge. Knowledge is like a garden; if it is not cultivated, it can never be harvested. True knowledge exists in knowing that we know nothing that makes us ego free which is smartest of all.

The five attributes of cosmic knowledge are space, air, fire, water and earth. A child takes birth on earth with ignorance and has anxiety to gain knowledge. The ignorant child listens the first sound of the mother, experiences touch of the mother, tastes milk of the mother and finally recognition of the mother. Here the learning to gain knowledge by the child starts.

With aging, the queries of child starts by asking what, how and why from parents to know about various visible objects. This query increases more and more, day by day throughout life.

Starting from childhood up to the last breath of life, keeps the person busy in gaining knowledge of outer World of Cosmos and inner World of thoughts at both gross and subtle levels, form and formless, living and non-living objects. In fact, our knowledge is like a little island of ocean of knowledge.

Anxiety to gain knowledge, emotional and imaginative nature for creative work is innate nature of human being generated by God. Concentration of thoughts and application of intelligence are basic principles to get success in all walks of life. It depends upon the raised level of consciousness of an individual soul.

Knowledge is like a fire which must be kindled by some external agent, i.e., Guru. Further it is gained by self experience in life known as realization, i.e., to know reality.

Ignorance creates enmity whereas knowledge creates lovable nature. Whenever we live with hatred nature such as ego, anger, jealousy, depression

and falsehood; there is greater likelihood of downfall. The more we are in ego, the more obstruction comes in getting knowledge. As physical exercise increases physical strength, similarly mental exercise increases mental strength, i.e., knowledge.

Knowledge is no doubt omnipotent. In the last but not the least, I am confident to say with folded hands before Goddess Saraswati (deity of knowledge) by saying that hard work and intelligence followed by good guidance leads to success.

(The Author is a retired professor from DAV College, Jalandhar (Punjab).

CITY AIR NEWS GOT THIS WRITE-UP THROUGH SK VYAS, JOURNALIST, JALANDHAR.

Jalandhar, August 8, 2013: Showing gratitude towards the Almighty, Sukhmani Sahib Path was arranged by the students of CT Group of Institutions on Wednesday, in their Shahpur Campus.

All the students and faculty members attended this sacrosanct function.

As per the available information here today, more than 6,000 students were served Guru Ka Langar by the students.

Chandigarh, August 8, 2013:  The police force has onerous and important responsibility of maintaining law and order and protecting the life, liberty and property of our people.

Expressing these views, while presiding over monthly Law and Order meeting, here today, the Punjab Governor and Administration, UT, Chandigarh, Shivraj V. Patil, reviewed the efforts being made by Chandigarh Police to ensure a safe Independence Day Celebrations and also for an overall peaceful situation in the city. He instructed the police authorities to further step up these efforts especially around vital installations and crowded places.

Patil emphasized the need to keep constant vigil to avoid any untoward incident during Independence Day 2013. He also reviewed the law & order arrangements being made by the Chandigarh Police to deal with various rallies/demonstrations/religious procession, cultural events etc. He instructed that all such events should be dealt with in a firm and legal and just manner.

The Administrator, desired that possibility of video recording of scene of crime and statement of witnesses may be examined within the given legal frame work. His Excellency expressed his satisfaction over the conviction rate and overall law and order situation in the city. He emphasized the need of strengthening of Cyber Crime Cell by imparting training to the police personnel and improving the infrastructure of Cyber Crime Cell by adding more facilities. He further said that the system of other police organizations including such as Delhi Police and Mumbai Police should also be studied for further improvement in the working of Cyber Crime. Appreciating the work of Chandigarh Police, he desired that Chandigarh Police should make all out efforts to ensure the safety and security of the citizens.

Reviewing the functioning of the Police Control Room in detail Patil desired that the Police Control Room should be further strengthened by adding available modern facilities. IGP informed the Governor that Police Control Room is upgraded with the addition of more call taking facility. The IGP further briefed about the community policing efforts being made by Chandigarh Police. His Excellency instructed that another mobile Police Station should be procured by Chandigarh Police. He emphasized that the design of the Mobile Police Station should be further improved to have better facilities for the police personnel manning the Mobile Police Station. 

R.P. Upadhyaya, IPS, Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh while giving briefing to the Administrator said that various measures have been taken by the Chandigarh Police on the basis of the intelligence alerts received. He further briefed about the special checking being conducted by the Chandigarh Police.

Giving more details about the various road safety measures being taken by Chandigarh Police, the IGP said that number of fatal accidents has come down this year as compare to last year and fatality has reduced by about 20% due to the measures being taken in the area of Traffic rule Enforcement, Education and Engineering. It may be mentioned that till now Rs. 4,79,54,850 relished by Chandigarh Traffic Police so far.

IGP briefed that in the year 2012 conviction rate was 51%. and this year in the first 7 months conviction rate is 65.4%. In the Heinous cases conviction rate is 70.4%. On this the Administrator expressed his satisfaction.

IGP also briefed His Excellency about special training being imparted by the army Western Command for the IR battalion, Police personnel in the field of urban intervention and improvised explosive devises. His Excellency also reviewed the modernization project and the welfare measures. He instructed that existing vacancies should be filled up by conducting recruitment drives and desired that all major engineering proposals should be completed in a time bound manner. He further desired that purchases regarding equipments/weapons should be made without any delay and the man power proposals should be vigorously pursued in MHA for early sanction.  His Excellency also reviewed the progress of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) project. He said that our Chandigarh Police force has the capacity and capability of serving, the public interests, but still they should require upgrading their professional skills continuously through high quality of training and education.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included K.K. Sharma, Adviser to Administrator, M.P. Singh, Principal Secretary to Governor, Anil Kumar, Home Secretary, Alok Kumar, IPS, Dy. Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh, Naunihal Singh, SSP, R.S. Ghumman, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, OPS & Trg and Arun Kampani, IPS, Commandant IRBn.

Ludhiana, August 8, 2013: The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari has written to the Railway Minister Malikarjun Kharge seeking his personal intervention about the completion of the foot-bridge at the Ludhiana Railway station.

In his letter Tewari wrote to Kharge that the work had been started on the foot-bridge at his initiative a few years ago. However, midway the railways stopped the work for unexplained reasons.

Seeking enquiry into the abandoning of work on the foot-bridge, he said, “the matter may kindly be got enquired as why the foot over bride had to be abandoned and how much money was spent on it before being abandoned”. He asked as why was the project cancelled and whether any penalty has been fixed and what action had been taken in this regard.

Emphasising the need for early completion of the foot-bridge, Tewari pointed out, “Ludhiana is one of the important cities in Punjab with a lot of railway traffic”. The new foot-bridge is urgently needed as the existing one is quite narrow, he added.

Visits area where landslide took place yesterday

Dharamsala, August 8, 2013: Transport Minister of Himachal Pradesh GS Bali has instructed the HRTC not to run buses on the unsafe roads of the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Bali said , “If anything wrong happens in these roads the responsibility shall be fixed on Regional Manager HRTC of the area.”

He said that the concerned authorities have been told to conduct survey to pinpoint the difficult road links during Monsoon and report these to DC and Headquarter in 10 days.

He said that the HRTC is instructed not to take unwanted risks during this monsoon season when the roadsides become very loose due to heavy rains. He also said that public vehicles must be thoroughly and regularly checked before starting a route.

Bali visited the area in the upper Dharamsala near Dalai Lama residence where yesterday about 60 houses were damaged due to landslide. He said that government is paying financial help of Rs. 75,000 to each affected family as immediate help and arranging for alternate land nearby for reconstruction.

On the other hand Urban Development and Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma and Vice Chairman, H.P State Forest Corporation, Kewal Singh Pathania called on Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Shimla on Thursday to apprise him about the losses occurred due to landslides and heavy rains in second Mod, Tihra Line area of Gram Panchayat Kajlot under Dharamsala in district Kangra. They urged the Chief Minister to provide financial assistance and land to the victims in nearby area for construction of houses for their rehabilitation. They said that landslides also caused damage to Army quarters and more than 16 private houses in the area besides loss to other property.

On Wednesday morning 15 Army quarters were razed to ground and over a dozen houses, mostly of ex-servicemen, were badly damaged as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit Kajlot Panchayat, near Dalai Lamas residence in upper Dharamsala .

The gushing rain water swept the quarters and the land in surrounding areas sunk by 200 feet while over a dozen private houses, mostly of Gorkha ex-servicemen, were badly damaged.

However, there was no loss of life but at least 20 families were rendered homeless and provided temporary shelter in the Army complex.

Meanwhile, several areas of the state were lashed by heavy rains and Dharamsala, which was wettest in the region with 111 mm rains, received more than 400 mm rains during the past four days.

Ludhiana, August 8, 2013: It was the day of celebrations at Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana. Yes, students were dressed up in colourful dresses, as they enthusiastically participated in Teej celebrations.

Participants wore traditional dresses and engaged in the activities such as rangoli, mehndi and giddha. They also enjoyed swings in the college campus. The sense of joy was visible on their faces.

Students spent a memorable time during this celebrations.

Ludhiana, August 8, 2013: SCD Government College, Ludhiana bagged three positions, among top eight Panjab University positions in M.Sc-IT 4th Semester during the session 2012-13.

As per the details, Pawan Preet Kaur D/O Pargat Singh Bagged 3rd position by securing 2029/2300 (88.21%) marks, Rupa Sharma D/O Madan Lal bagged 4th position by securing 2010/2300 (87.39%) marks and Cherry D/O Roshan Lal Kalra bagged 8th position by securing 1983/2300 (86.21%) marks.

Bhlaiaana (Sri Muktsar Sahib), August 8, 2013: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that ridiculous statement of Union Defence Minister AK Antony on the killing of five Army Jawans in Poonch Sector of Jammu and Kashmir, reflected the non-seriousness of the Congress led UPA government in dealing with the sensitive matters.

Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program of the Gidderbaha Assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said that the unfortunate statement of Union Defence Minister on this emotive issue has shown that the UPA government was least bothered about the internal and external security of the country, due to which the sovereignty of the nation was in jeopardy. He said that the Union government should have acted toughly after the killing of five jawans but by issuing such irrational statements, the UPA government has made the mockery of the martyrs, who had laid down their lives while safeguarding the borders of the country. He said that countrymen would never forgive the UPA government for this blunder and they would teach a befitting lesson to these people in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the wise voters of the country were waiting for the General elections slated to be held in year 2014 to rout the Congress out from centre. He said that the UPA government has failed on all the fronts due to which the people were fed up from their ‘misrule’. He said that it was writing on the wall that NDA, of which Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was a key ally, would form the next government at the centre.

Earlier, addressing the mammoth gatherings at villages Chotiyaan, Sahib Chand, Chattiana, Bhlaiaana, Kotli Ablu, Buttar Sarinh, Mallan and Sukhna Ablu, the Chief Minister said that the main aim of holding the Sangat Darshan program was to mitigate the problems of people by virtually bringing the government at their doorsteps. He said that there was no political motive in holding this program and the sole objective of it was to ensure the well being of the general public.

The Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP government was committed for the overall welfare of the state and no discrimination of any sort was being made with any constituency. Exhorting the Congress leaders to shun the politics of confrontation for scoring brownie points before media, he said that in the larger interests of the public the Congress party must support the state government for ensuring the well being of Punjab. Like Congress we have no faith in politics of vendetta and our only target is to ensure the holistic development of state, he added.

Taking a dig on former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, the Chief Minister said that by playing in the hands of Congress, the PPP leader has not only betrayed the SAD but the people of state also. He said that the Congress has always resorted to such ‘dirty tactics’ of promoting someone from the Badal clan against them for fulfilling its political interests, but it has miserably failed in such endeavors. He said that people like Manpreet, who were used for such nefarious purposes, were later shunned by the Congress party after using them, due to which they had gone to political oblivion.

The Chief Minister also called upon the people in villages to rise above the parochial considerations of caste, creed, religion, color and others to ensure the comprehensive development of villages. He urged them to join the campaign of state government for making a clean and green Punjab by planting more and more number of trees. He said that during the Sangat Darshan program they were distributing 500 saplings in every village to widen the green cover in the state.

Reiterating the commitment of the state government to provide free power to farmers of Punjab, the Chief Minister said that by bearing the additional burden of Rs 5000 crore every year the state government was humbly doing its duty for their valuable contribution in making country self reliant in food production. Slamming the Congress led UPA government for breaking the backbone of the farmers, he said that due to the escalating hike in cost of farming operations and the non-remunerative MSP, the peasantry of the state was crossroads. If the state government had not given the facility of free power to farmers then they would have been completely ruined, he added.

Honoring two girls of village Bhaliaana for securing more than 80% marks in matriculation exams, the Chief Minister said that that in order to tap the hidden potential amongst the bright students of the rural areas, the state government was laying special emphasis on strengthening rural education system. He said that ‘Special Schools’ were being opened in six districts of the state to impart quality education to students securing 80% of more marks at Matric level in the Government schools. He also said that these students would be provided free professional education along with boarding and lodging facility to enable them to compete with their convent educated peers. Likewise the Chief Minister said that under Dr. Hargobind Khurana scholarship scheme Rs 2500 per month would be given to such meritorious students for carrying out study at senior secondary level.   

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also felicitated 256 Akali workers and their kin, who were lodged in jails during the various agitations of SAD. He said that these workers and families have suffered many hardships for the cause of the party and it was the moral duty of the SAD to honor them for this supreme sacrifice.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP from Faridkot Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, senior Akali leaders Hardeep Singh Dimpi Dhillon and Sant Singh Brar, SGPC members Jathedar Navtej Singh Kauni and Jathedar Kirpal Singh Gora, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Paramjeet Singh.

Dharamsala, August 8, 2013: Mohit Sood, Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has said they strongly condemn the media reports which are saying that the association and its office-bearers are hiding facts and figures from the authorities and not presenting them as and when asked.

He was reacting over the case being proceeded by HP Government against HPCA’s 5 star hotel here and alleged wrong transfers its lands.

Sood said, “We assure all the stakeholders and public that HPCA is open to a free and fair trails from any investigating agency in a time bound manner”. He added they have always given cooperation to the authorities and would continue to do so in the future also.

He said that HPCA is not hiding papers and facts related to the inquiry into the allegations of wrongdoing in the association over the years, and the association has always cooperated with the law authorities and would continue to do so.

 He said, “HPCA has taken all permissions under law for running our various activities from the state government, central government, company law board and the BCCI and have done nothing against the law of the land.”

 He said that the vigilance inquiries and registration of the FIR is a draconian step taken by the state government which is politically motivated aimed to mislead the simple and honest people of the state and would prove detrimental in promoting sports in this hilly state. These steps have been tried previously as well when the Congress government came into power in March 2003 and passed a draconian law like H.P Sports Act 2005 and tried to grab the control of HPCA unsuccessfully.

Further, he said there has been a deliberate attempt to malign and tarnish the reputation of the sports body which has brought Himachal Pradesh on the world map of sports by projecting it as a commercial private entity which is far from the truth, and aimed at targeting their president Anurag Thakur who happens to be the Member of Parliament of the party in opposition.

New Delhi/Jalandhar, August 8, 2013: The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case Under Sections 120-B r/w 420, 467,468,471 & 477-A of IPC & Section 13(2) r/w 13 (1)(d) of PC Act 1998 against Senior Deputy Director (Medical Admn.), Corporate Social Responsibility, Bokaro Steel Limited (a Public Sector Undertaking) Bokaro (Jharkhand); An Assistant General Manager and Senior Pharmacist, both of Local Purchase Cell, BSL, Bokaro.

The accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy with Partners of Bokaro based private firm and with unknown others during 2008-2009. In pursuance of the said criminal conspiracy, the accused cheated the Bokaro Steel Limited by way of making payment of fake & fraudulent medicine bills worth Rs.23.73 lakh (approx) to a private firm against local purchase made for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) medical camps in different parts of the States of Jharkhand & Bihar in 2008-2009.  

Searches were conducted at the 7 residential premises and 3 office premises of accused located at Bokaro. Several incriminating documents recovered during searches are under scrutiny.

Further investigation is continuing.

New Delhi/Jalandhar, August 8, 2013:The Central Bureau of Investigation has today arrested two persons of District - Bijanour & Moradabad (U.P) for allegedly smuggling and trafficking of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) worth Rs.3,99,000 at Lucknow Railway Station. The seized FICNs are in the denomination of Rs.1000 and Rs. 500.

A case has been registered U/s 120-B r/w Section 489-B, 489-C of IPC.

The arrested accused are being produced today in the Designated Court at Lucknow (U.P). 

Ludhiana, August 9, 2013: An Army recruitment rally has been going on at the Dholewal Military Complex here.
The rally had started on August 5.
It will continue till August 13.
The Director, Recruitment, Col MS Mahar told the media persons here on Thursday that so far about 11,000 candidates have taken part in the rally. Of them, about 5,000 have cleared the physical fitness test, he added.
Brig Udai Yadav, Deputy Director General, Recruitment (Punjab and J&K), said the candidates are being screened for their physical fitness and medical status. He added successful candidates would have to undergo a written test. And the selected candidates would be inducted into the Army.
Further, Yadav said the ongoing recruitment process is computerised and transparent.