Briefly Region

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has released Rs 95.60 crore to the state cooperative sugar mills to be further distributed among cane growers. A CMO spokesperson said that the state mills crushed 149.52 lakh quintals of cane and produced 12.93 lac quintals of sugar during 2012-13,as against crushing 141.43 lakh quintals of cane and producing 12.28 lakh quintals of sugar in 2011-12.

Water level in Bhakra dam at 1599.92 feet

CHANDIGARH: The water level in the Bhakra Dam on Tuesday touched 1599.92 feet against 1531.88 feet last year on the same day. An irrigation official said the water level of Pong Dam has been recorded at 1320.25 feet — 23.94 feet more than what it was last year.

‘Ensure drinking water to deras’

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday approved a policy to ensure adequate supply of drinking water for residents of all far-flung deras and dhanis,which were not yet covered under the Rural Water Supply Scheme. Under this policy,mini water works will be installed in deras and dhanis with populations above 250 and micro water works for those with population between 100 to 250.

Half of Punjab to be tobacco free

CHANDIGARH: As many as 50 per cent of the total population in Punjab will be “tobacco smoke free” by August 15,Minister for Health and Family Welfare Madan Mohan Mittal said on Tuesday. While seven districts — Ajitgarh (SAS Nagar),Mansa,Amritsar,Rupnagar,Gurdaspur,Fatehgarh Sahib and S B S Nagar — have already been declared as “tobacco smoke free”,by mid August,Muktsar,Sangrur,Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala will also find place in the list,Mittal added.

Health secy reviews monsoon readiness

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Principal Secretary (Health) Vini Mahajan on Tuesday chaired a review meeting of civil surgeons of from all districts to review the department’s preparedness for the upcoming transmission season of vector borne diseases,especially malaria and dengue. She directed the officers to launch special awareness drives to educate the people about how to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.

Soon,policy for mega housing projects

Chandigarh: With an aim to provide affordable housing to people,Punjab government has decided to frame a policy for the mega housing projects in state,a town and country planning department official said. He said the policy will incorporate provisions whereby maximum permissible area for group housing in a project,where it is proposed as a part of plotted development,will not exceed 20 per cent of the total area of the project. This condition,however,will not be applicable for the projects which fall in the mixed land use zone of master plan.