Inbrief

Sandhu sworn in as T&A Commission head

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mandeep Singh Sandhu as the new Chief Commissioner of the state’s Transparency and Accountability Commission. The appointment of Sandhu, a former Additional Chief Secretary, will bring about greater transparency and efficiency in the delivery of citizen-centric services, in line with the state government’s increased focus on governance reforms, said an official spokesperson. Capt Amarinder asked him to accord top priority to prompt redressal of public grievances by ensuring these services in a seamless and time-bound manner.

Free travel facility for women on Rakhi

Chandigarh: UT Administration of Chandigarh will provide free travel facility to women travelling in AC and non AC CTU buses on August 26, 2018, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. The facility is not applicable on long route CTU buses.

259 tonnes of food items sent to flood-hit Kerala

Chandigarh: Punjab Government has sent more than 259 tonnes of food items for flood-hit people of Kerala. To ensure proper distribution of relief material, the state government has also sent a three-member team of the Revenue Department led by Land Records Director Basant Garg. Punjab Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said that special team was sent along with relief material. As per reports, food items were being unloaded amidst loud shouts of ‘thank you Punjab’. Capt Amarinder has given an assurance that if required, more relief material would be sent to Kerala. Sarkaria appealed to the people of Punjab to come forward to help in the relief work.

IIT Ropar becomes ‘zero liquid discharge campus’

Ropar: IIT Ropar has achieved a rare feat for implementing zero liquid discharge to meet with environmental regulation in a challenging way. The institute has identified potentially recyclable streams and applicability of four Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover). By achieving ZLD status and due to recycling of waste water, campus’ fresh water consumption has been reduced. IIT Ropar director Prof SK Das said: “Being a smart sustainable campus, we have robust institute water treatment facility that minimizes wastewater discharge and maximizes water recovery. Zero liquid discharge system will allow us to dramatically reduce campus water intake requirements from river Satluj and virtually eliminate return of any wastewater to the river.”

Punjab recruits 21 new pharmacy lecturers

Chandigarh: Punjab Technical Education Department has recruited 21 new Pharmacy lecturers. The Minister in-charge Charanjit Singh Channi met the newly recruited lecturers on Thursday to allot choice stations to them against vacant posts in the Government Polytechnic Colleges as per their convenience. Channi said that it is the department’s endeavour to allot nearest stations without any recommendation to the newly recruited lecturers keeping in mind their merit, family and other aspects.

Punjab VB nabs BDPO, JE for taking bribe

Chandigarh: Punjab State Vigilance Bureau on Thursday nabbed a Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) and Junior Engineer (JE), both posted at Maur block in Bathinda district, red handed for accepting bribe of Rs 12,000. BDPO Makhan Singh, and JE Rajinder Singh were caught on the complaint of Hoshiar Singh, the resident of Raikhana in Bathinda. Complainant has alleged that the said BDPO and JE were demanding bribe of Rs 22,000 to release a usage certificate (UC) regarding development grant issued to the gram panchayat Raikhana.

Forum suggests alternate route for SYL

Chandigarh: The Forum for SYL Canal through Himachal Pradesh has decided to launch an awareness campaign in Haryana on the issue of importance of SYL water for Haryana and the sidelining of issue by the government. For the next four months, people in the villages, blocks, colleges and university students will be sensitized on the issue. Forum president Jitendra Nath claimed that forum has an alternative route for SYL canal’s speedy construction. The canal may be initiated from the Bhakra Dam, which comes within the territory of Himachal Pradesh, he said adding that this would help avoid conflict between constitutional bodies and safeguard federal system.