IN brief

Babla gets bail in one case
CHANDIGARH: A lower court on Friday granted bail to Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla,against bail bonds of Rs 25,000 in the case where a mobile SIM was recovered from him in jail. The order comes as a breather for Babla,though he can’t be released from the Burail jail till granted bail in all the four cases against him. The court had earlier dismissed his bail plea in the case pertaining to illegal allotment of sheds.

High Court stays termination orders of professor
CHANDIGARH: Giving major relief to a professor in the Anatomy department of Homeopathic Medical College,Sector 26,Chandigarh,whose services were terminated after a long tenure of 31 years,the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday stayed the termination orders. The ground taken by the college for termination of Kiran Mehta’s services is that her MSc degree is unrecognised. The professor,however,claims that she has a clean track record of 31 years. Vide a letter dated August 26,2009,the Medical Council of India declared Mehta’s MSc degree in anatomy unrecognised. Terming the order illegal,arbitrary and completely unconstitutional,Mehta moved the high court stating that her degree has been recognised by the PGI. Taking note of this,Justice K Kannan stayed the orders.

Seminar on job prospects in defence sector held
PANCHKULA: The placement cell of Government College,Sector 1,Panchkula,organised a seminar on ‘Job opportunities in Defence services’ on Thursday. Dr R C Goyal,principal of the college,said,“Defence services are one of the most prestigious fields to make a career in. It is a job which carries with it pride,dignity and honour. The youth of our nation should aim to join the services and serve the nation.” Col Yugander Singh also addressed students. “In today’s times,it is very important that the youth realise their responsibility towards the nation. The Defence services not only carry a sense of pride and dignity but after the Sixth Pay Commission,it has offers monetary benefits as well.” The spokesperson of the college added: “Vishal Thapa,a NCC cadet,has been recruited as a lieutenant in the Sashastra Seema Bal. NCC cadets of the college regularly participate in the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi. Ravinder Kumar,Krishan Dev and Raj Kumar took part this year.”

Punjab Science Congress on climate change begins tomorrow
CHANDIGARH: The three-day 13th Punjab Science Congress,scheduled to be held in Panjab University from Sunday will be inaugurated by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir N N Vohra. The meeting,organised under the aegis of Punjab Academy of Sciences,will see experts drawn from across the country and abroad deliberate on the topical theme of ‘Climate change: concerns and solutions’. Professor P C Kesavan,FNA,Distinguished Fellow,MS Swaminathan Foundation,Chennai,would be the resource person. Professor G S Khush from the University of California will highlight the issue of food security and climate change in his lecture. Other distinguished speakers include Prof Sehdev Kumar from Canada,Prof S S Johl,Prof S S Gill,vice-chancellor,Baba Farid University,Faridkot,and Prof R C Sobti,vice-chancellor,Panjab University. Distinguished academicians and scientists will be felicitated on the occasion. The Lifetime Achievement Award this year will be conferred upon Professor R P Bambah,former vice-chancellor of Panjab University and a mathematician of international repute. Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil has been invited as the guest of honour at the valedictory function.

Two dead,three injured in Ambala road accident
AMBALA: Two bank officials died and three of their colleagues were injured seriously in a car-dumper collision near Mullana on Ambala-Saharanpur national highway late on Friday night. The five bankers were reportedly taking a drive in one of the occupant’s newly purchased car. Following a collision with a dumper coming from opposite direction,V K Gupta and Rajinder Singh died on the spot. The injured were rushed to MM Medical College and Hospital in Mullana from where they were referred to the PGI in Chandigarh.

Paramedics threaten self-immolation
MOHALI: Paramedical employees posted at government dispensaries in rural areas of Punjab have threatened self-immolation if the state government failed to withdraw its recent decision to terminate their services. Hundreds of protesters from across the state,under the banner of Rural Health Employees’ Union,staged a massive dharna and rally in front of the state headquarters of the Rural Development and Panchayats department at Vikas Bhawan in Sector 62 here on Friday. Union state president Varinder Kumar Kamboj,general secretary Gurjant Singh and vice-president Bhupinder Kaur strongly condemned the decision of the state government to replace them with the pharmacists. “We have been working for the last four years and now our services are being discontinued,” rued the protesters.

Balongi resident held with stolen bike
MOHALI: A resident of Balongi village near here,Bajinder Kumar,was arrested with a motorcycle,which he had allegedly stolen,the police said on Friday. Following a tip-off,the police nabbed the accused when he was driving a Bajaj Splendor motorcycle,without a registration number,in Jhujhar Nagar around 5.30 pm allegedly in search of a customer to sell the bike. A case under Section 411 of the IPC has been lodged.

Gangster Whiskey sent to police custody
MOHALI: The local police on Friday procured the custody of notorious gangster Devinder Singh alias Whiskey,who was arrested by the Chandigarh police a few months ago. Whiskey was produced before a local court on production warrants after the local police sought his custody in a case of snatching. Seeking seven days’ police remand of the accused,the public prosecutor told the court that Whiskey had snatched Rs 5 lakh from an employee of a local liquor contractor on gunpoint in Mohali last September. The money and the gun used in the crime were yet to be recovered,it was said. The court accepted the prosecution’s plea and sent Whiskey to police custody till Monday.

College launches literacy programme
KHARAR: The Doaba College of Education in Ghataur village has initiated a programme to educate illiterate adults and underprivileged children of the area. Under the initiative titled ‘Each one teach one’,every BEd student will help one adult or child. Around 25 illiterate women in the age group of 35 to 55 years,along with a large number of children,turned up to learn how to read and write.