In Brief

BJP leaders protest ban on land registration
AMBALA: The Ambala Cantonment unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a dharna outside the Municipal Council office on Wednesday. The dharna was led by local MLA and Haryana BJP Legislature Party leader Anil Vij,and saw the participation of hundreds of party workers,including several women. Slogans were raised against the Haryana Congress government headed by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Vij said the strike was observed to register their protest against the indifferent attitude of the government in accepting their demands which include lifting the ban on mutation and registration of land,sale of rural and urban land and passing of site plans. Vij said the chief minister had failed to fulfil his promise made in the presence of Union Minister Kumari Selja at an election rally where he had announced to lift the ban after elections. Thousands of cases are lying pending due to the ban,the BJP leader said,adding that the agitation would be intensified if their demands are not accepted.

GMN College student wins accolades
AMBALA: Ankita Verma,a second-year BSc student of GMN College,Ambala Cantonment,brought laurels by winning a gold medal in the slogan-writing competition held at Kurukshetra University. Supreme Court judge D K Jain,who was the chief guest,presented the medal to Ankita.

Kavi Darbar a hit in Ambala college
AMBALA: Punjabi Sahitya Sabha of GMN College organised a ‘Kavi and Geet Darbar’ in which Punjabi,Hindi and Urdu poets regaled the audience on Wednesday. General Secretary Sudarshan Gaso chaired the function while college principal Dr R R Malik inaugurated it.

Seminar on stress management held
KHARAR: A state-level seminar on stress management was organised at the Doaba College of Education on Wednesday. During the seminar,speakers identified reasons and symptoms of stress along with the remedies to fight it. Staying close to nature and practicing meditation to avoid “modern day social diseases” was stressed upon. The seminar was inaugurated by Dr Kulwinder Singh,Head of Department of Education,Punjabi University,Patiala. Speaking on the occasion,College Executive Director Manjit Singh said: “Stress management has to be done through physical,psychological,and spiritual dimensions.” Jharna Sharma,a pranic healer,said stress has to be treated as a disease and counselling in the field was also lacking. Dr Kiran Bala,a psychiatrist,said a holistic approach was required in dealing with stress-related and chronic diseases. “A combined therapy programme with dimensions on body,breath,senses,prana,emotions,mind and spirit through modalities like yoga,diet,breathing relaxation,meditation,aerobics and homoeopathy are offered in various leading hospitals,” she concluded.

Chargesheet filed in Burail rape case
CHANDIGARH: The police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in the Burail rape case. Shambhu (28) was arrested from Burail on January 15 after the three-year-old girl’s mother complained to the police. The victim’s mother,a domestic help,had filed a complaint that she had left her daughter in the park,where she was raped. Medical examination of the victim at GMSH-16 also confirmed rape. During investigation,the police also claimed that the accused had raped another minor girl in December last year.

Tech fest held at GCG-11
CHANDIGARH: The Department of Computer Applications at Government College for Girls,Sector 11,organised an inter-college competition,Tech Zeal 10,on Wednesday. The fest was inaugurated by Anu Gupta,chairperson,Department of Computer Applications,Panjab University,by lighting of the ceremonial lamp along with principal Achla Dogra,vice-principal Dr Sham Lata and Dr Pardeep Walia,HOD,Computer Applications. Addressing students on the occasion,chief guest Anu Gupta stressed that education today aims at a wider perspective of overall development of a student by blending their academics with creative skills; and such events go a long way in carving and polishing both areas.

CD on Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha released
PATIALA: Jaspal Singh,vice-chancellor,Punjabi University,Patiala,released a VCD titled ‘Vidya Vichari tan Parupkari’,at a function jointly organised by the World Punjabi Centre (WPC) and Gurmat Sangeet department on the university campus on Wednesday. The VCD has been prepared by Gurmail Singh Bhatuan and his wife Ravinder Kaur Ravi,a lecturer in the Music department of Punjabi University,and is based on a lecture delivered by renowned scholar Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha at Khalsa College,Amritsar on April 4,1931.

Pregnancy Awareness Week kicks off
CHANDIGARH: Chaitanya Hospital in Sector 44 kicked off the ‘Pregnancy Awareness Week’ on Wednesday. The awareness drive will continue till next Tuesday,said hospital officials. A number of sessions focusing on skin and hair care,healthy diet during pregnancy and caring for the newborn will be held. A quiz related to pregnancy will also be conducted. Women can visit the hospital or get themselves registered on phone at 0172-5088088 or online on the website http://www.chaitanyahospital.org for taking part in the activities.

Bail granted to teacher-recruitment scam accused who procured SIM on fake identity
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Jolly,a prime accused in the teachers’ recruitment scam. He was booked for allegedly purchasing a mobile SIM on a fake identity in October last year. A case was registered at the Sector-26 police station after receiving the CFSL report. Jolly was arrested on September 5 last year for demanding money from one Kamalpreet Kaur of Kharar on the pretext of providing her a government teacher’s job.

Villagers help police foil robbery attempt
Mansa: A bank robbery attempt in Phaphre Bhai Ke village was on Wednesday rendered unsuccessful with the joint efforts of villagers,bank officials,police and a 10-year-old boy Gurjeet Singh,who raised an alarm when he saw three men wielding weapons entering Satluj Gramin Bank in the village. “The boy,in particular,acted valiantly and avoided what could have been a daylight bank robbery,” said Mansa SSP Hardial Singh Mann,adding that he would recommend the name of the boy for a bravery award. The police have arrested Balwinder,Gurdeep and Jagsir,all residents of Badiala village near Rampura,in connection with the robbery attempt. Three weapons,including a .315 bore and a .12 bore gun,besides a sharp-edged weapon,were recovered from the possession of the robbers. SSP said that the bank guard kept on fighting with the robbers to stop them entering the bank even as robbers snatched his rifle and broke it. The bank employees,in the meantime,locked door from inside and pressed on the alarm,besides alerting police. Soon,the villagers gathered on the spot and the robbers tried to flee,but were eventually nabbed.

FCI team collects rice samples in Moga
Moga: A team of technical experts from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) took samples from the rice storehouses of the corporation here on Wednesday. The action follows reports of substandard imported rice being mixed with the local produce. Recently,a team from the FCI’s Chandigarh regional office had collected five samples from Ajitwal as well. On Wednesday,a team from Noida,led by Chunni Lal Ram General Manager (North Zone I) of the FCI,arrived here and took eight more samples from the storehouses of the corporation situated at the district headquarters. It has been learnt that of the total 13 samples,two samples have failed to meet the requirements of the corporation.

Attariwala remembered on 164th martyrdom day
AMRITSAR: Paying rich tributes to Sham Singh Attariwala,the great warrior of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army,Sewa Singh Sekhwan,Information and Public Relations Minister,said the youth should follow his example and work towards the nation’s welfare. He was presiding over the state-level function to mark Attariwala’s 164th martyrdom day at the historic town of Attari near the Indo-Pak border here on Wednesday. The state government would make all efforts to beautify the memorial of Attariwala,he announced. Rajya Sabha MP Rajmohinder Majithia was also present.

UGC grants research project to GNDU professor
AMRITSAR: Dr Lakhwinder Singh,head of the Department of Commerce and Business Management at Guru Nanak Dev University,has been granted a major research project worth over Rs 6 lakh by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The project is on ‘Stress Burnout and Health among Teachers: A Study of Universities in Punjab’ and would continue for two years.