R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
MURDERED: Mr Sita Ram Arora (65), a soap manufacturer, was found murdered with sharp-edged weapons at his residence in Swank Mandi. His servant, Ramu, reported the crime.

DERA BASSI
SECTION 144: The Subdivisional Magistrate, Mr Sher Singh Sidhu, promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC on Saturday, keeping in view the increasing crime in the subdivision. According to Mr Sidhu, the orders would remain in force for 60 days, from March 24. He also directed residents, industrialists and shopkeepers to submit details of their workers, tenants and guests staying with them, to the nearest police station. Violators would be punished under Section 188 of the IPC.

FEROZEPORE
STRIKE THREATENED: The Punjab Beopar Mandal has threatened a statewide strike in case the state government fails to roll back the hike in registration fee of the Sales Tax Department. The mandal president, Mr Madan Lal Kapoor, has set March 31 as the deadline for withdrawing the price hike.

GARHSHANKAR
ELECTED: Mr Gurlal Singh, chairman of the local Market Committee, has been elected president of the SAD (B), Garhshankar block.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP, presided over the annual prize distribution function of Sant Ratan Dass Memorial Public School, Jaijon Doaba. Speaking on the occasion, he stressed the need for quality education.

TRAVEL AGENT HELD: The police has arrested a travel agent, Surinder Singh, alias Chhinda, on a complaint of Harbhajan Singh who had alleged that the former had cheated his son.

PRICE HIKE FLAYED: Mr Om Parkash Saini, General Secretary, District Congress Committee, and Mr Darshan Singh Mattoo, vice president, Punjab Kisan Sabha, have criticised the hike in the price of kerosene and LPG and have demanded that it be rolled back. THIEVES HELD: The police has arrested Gurdeep Singh, alias Deepa and Kashmira Singh, near here, for allegedly stealing truck tyres from a truck union in Saila Khurd.

HOSHIARPUR
DEVELOPMENT WORK: Mr Raghubir Singh, State Transport Minister-cum-Chairman of the District Planning and Development Board, Hoshiarpur, at a monthly meeting of the board held here on Friday said Rs 2822.92 lakh had been received by the board for development work during the current financial year of which Rs 2426.44 lakh had already been given to various departments.

JALANDHAR
WORLD TB DAY: The World TB Day was observed at the Civil Hospital here on Friday. Addressing a gathering, Dr M.B. Bali, district T.B. officer, highlighted various aspects of the disease, which had been declared as global emergency by the World Health Organisation in 1993. Mr Som Parkash, Deputy Commissioner, who was the chief guest, urged the doctors, paramedics and NGOs to work with devotion.

MALERKOTLA
ARRESTED: The police has arrested Darshan Singh for carrying illicit liquor. Twelve bottles of liquor were seized from him. A case under the Excise Act has been registered according to ASP Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal.

MOGA
TRIBUTES PAID: The management and staff of Bir Singh Memorial Public School, Nathuwala Garbi village in the district, on Friday observed a two-minute silence and paid tributes to 35 Sikhs, who were massacred in Chhati Singhpura village in Jammu and Kashmir.

NAWANSHAHR
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Industrial Training Employees Union, Punjab: president — Mr Gurdev Singh Nagra; vice-president — Mr Santokh Singh Mutty; general secretary — Mr Bhupinder Pal Puri; secretary — Mr Navjot Singh Dhoot; and treasurer — Mr Joginder Singh Kohli.

PATIALA
HEART CHECK-UP CAMP: Lions Club will organise a free heart check-up camp at SDSE Senior Secondary School, Arya Samaj Chowk, on Sunday. Free ECG will be conducted and needy patients will be given free medicines.

PHAGWARA
LIQUOR SEIZED: The police has arrested Shangaram under the Excise Act and seized nine bottles of liquor from him. He was arrested near Chachoki village, the police said on Friday.

POPPY SEIZED: The police has seized 220 kg of poppy from two persons. Five sacks, containing 40 kg poppy each, were seized from Gurdial, alias Dala of Kirpal Nagar here while 20 kg was seized from a Bihari, Sanjay Kumar, near the Khati bridge, the police said on Friday.

ZIRAKPUR
ROTARY CLUB: Representatives of more than 75 Rotary clubs in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh will elect a new leader of RI District 3090 for 2000-2001 at a meeting, to be held at Zirakpur on Sunday. Mr Kewal Garg, President of the Dera Bassi Industrial Association, will be the chief guest.

CHANDIGARH

AWARENESS WEEK: The local unit of the Janata Dal (United) launched its awareness week at Mani Majra on Saturday. The participants criticised the killing of 35 Sikhs in Anantnag district and expressed sympathies with members of the bereaved families. The workers also visited Indira Colony. The JD(U) also demanded retaining of Chandigarh as a UT, restoration of the post of Chief Commissioner, allocation of 50 per cent budget for development of villages and colonies and immediate provision of water and power connections to residents of houses built outside the lal dora.

PATRON: Mr R.N. Sahai and Mr Gurdev Ram have been elected Patron and President of the Residents Welfare Association of Sector 23-D. Other office-bearers are: Senior Vice-President — Mr Birinder Singh; Vice-Presidents — Ms Kamaljit Kaur and Mr Khushi Ram Sharma; General Secretary — Mr Charanjit Singh; Organising Secretary — Mr Sadhu Singh; Joint Secretary — Mr Harbans Lal; and Finance Secretary — Mr Sudarshan Kumar.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of Lions Club Rose: President — Ms Renu Mahajan; Vice-Presidents — Ms Mohinder Kaur and Ms Shashi Handa; Secretary — Ms Renu Bali; Joint Secretary — Ms Sudarshan Pandoh; and Treasurer — Mrs Pushpa Singh.

SAMADHAN CHIEF: Mr R.P. Malhotra and Mr Rajnish Vij have been elected President and General Secretary of Samadhan, respectively. Other office-bearers are: Patron — Mr S.P. Vij; Chairman — Mr Shashi Kant; Senior Vice-President — Mr B.S. Rai; Vice-President — Ms Rita Kant; and Treasurer — Mr D.R. Sharma. — TNS

DENTAL CAMP: The Citizens Association for Relief Education and Service organised a dental inspection camp at BR Ambedkar Primary School, New Janata Colony, near Punjab Engineering College, on Saturday. About 200 children were examined by Dr (Brig) Kamaljit Singh and six other dental surgeons.

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION: Residents of Sector 32 on Saturday resented illegal construction and encroachments in some dwelling units by those who had purchased these units from original allottees on power of attorney. The residents maintained that because of illegal construction in one house, the occupants of two other houses were facing the problem of leakage.

MASSACRE: The Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) on Friday expressed concern over the massacre of 35 Sikhs at Chatti Singhpura village in Anantnag on Holi night. Mr Sunil Parti, General Secretary of the CTCC, demanded the resignation of the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, and declaration of Pakistan as a terrorist state.

TELEPHONE ADALAT: The local telecom department organised its 20th telephone adalat on Saturday. A total of 18 cases were received and 11 of the subscribers attended the adalat in person. Their cases were settled on the spot. Other cases were settled on merit.

CARNIVAL: Parminder Sandhu, a radio and TV artiste, sang several of her popular numbers at the Sector 17 Plaza Carnival on Saturday. At the artists' corner, sketching was a popular draw. Prof Prem Singh displayed the art of painting.

SAS NAGAR
ORGANISATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Ropar unit of the All-India Freedom Fighters Organisation: President — Mr Bachan Singh; Senior Vice-President — Mr S.D.Sharma; General Secretary — Mr Rattan Singh Baghi; and Cashier — Mr Tara Devi Sharma.

PUNWIRE: A delegation of the Punwire Officers Association met the Governor of Punjab to highlight the issue of non-payment of salaries to employees of the company for the past 12 months. Issue of non-payment of dues to the retired employees was also raised. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

HARYANA

AMBALA
CAMPAIGN: Campaigning for elections to the Municipal Council has gained momentum, with hectic door-to-door canvassing and public meetings. Mr Anil Vij, Ambala Cantonment MLA, has put up candidates for all 29 wards, under the Nagar Vikas Parishad banner. Mr Nirmal Vij , a former Chairman of the Ambala City Municipal Council, has forged an alliance with the INLD. None of the candidates are using loudspeakers this time.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of P&T Colony (GG) Welfare Committee, Ambala Cantonment: President — Mr D.P. Kherwa; Vice-Presidents — Dr Jagdish Chander and Mr Tilak Raj; Secretary — Mr Anil Arora; Joint Secretary — Mr Ajay Sharma; Organising Secretary — Mr G.K. Dhiman; Cashier — Mr N.K. Ahuja; and Auditor — Mr R.C. Dass.

MEDICAL CAMP: State Bank of India, RA branch, Ambala Cantonment, held a free medical camp at Topekhana Bazar in collaboration with Dr Jitender Aggarwal and Dr Madhuri Aggarwal on Saturday. About 350 persons were checked and medicines were distributed, according to a press note.

FARIDABAD
DEGREES CONFERRED: Mr R.s. Chowdhary, Deputy Chairman of the Haryana Planning Board, on Friday called upon students to use the latest information and technology . He was speaking at the annual prize distribution function of Nehru Government Postgraduate College in Faridabad. Degrees were conferred on 117 postgraduates and 393 graduates.

REWARI
REWARI ZILA PARISHAD: The following have been elected from various wards of the Rewari Zila Parishad: Mrs Kailash Bai (ward 1); Mr Rajesh Kumar (ward 2); Mr Naresh Kumar (ward 3); Mrs Usha Devi (ward 4); Mr Tikram (ward 5); Mr Bhaat Singh (ward 6); Mrs Kamla Devi (ward 7); Mr Arvind Kumar (ward 8); Mr praveen Kumar (ward 9); Mr Ravinder Kumar (ward 10); Mr Anirudh (ward 11); Mrs Suman Kumar (ward 12); and Mrs Sartaj Devi (ward 13).

DISSOLVED: The President of the Haryana Janata Dal (U), Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, has dissolved the Rewari unit of the party. A five-member committee with Mrs Anita Chauhan as its convener has been constituted to conduct the organisational work till the formation of a new unit.

SONEPAT
CAR BURNT: A car was allegedly burnt by three persons at Janti Khurd village along the Yamuna, about 25 km from here, on Friday. According to a report, the owner of the car, Mr Mohan Madan, had lodged an FIR with the Rai police in this connection. No arrest has been made so far.

YOUTH SHOT AT: A youth was shot at and injured at Lehrara village, about 3 km from here, on Saturday. The assailant was arrested by the police. The police also recovered a country-made pistol from him. A case has been registered against the assailant, who is stated to be a a relative of the youth.

INJURED: A conductor of a private bus fell down from the roof of the bus here on Friday and sustained serious injuries. The conductor was reportedly issuing tickets to passengers on the roof when the mishap occurred.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NALAGARH
TREE FELLING: The Ramshahar police has registered a case against the son of a Deputy Ranger for illegal cutting of khair wood in the Kohu forest region of Nalagarh division. According to police sources, the Deputy Ranger’s son and three others were caught red-handed while cutting trees in Kohu forest.

TANTRIK HELD: The police has arrested a ‘tantrik’ from Massore (Karnataka) in connection with the Ram Asri murder case. The police said the ‘tantrik’, who was famous as a sadhu, had many names such as Bhagwan, alias Goldi, Himmatgiri, etc. He was a resident of Sialba Majri village of Ropar district in Punjab, it said

SOLAN
INDEFINITE STRIKE: On a call given by the joint action committee of the HP Horticulture and Forestry Students Association, students of Parmar University at Nauni, near here, went on an indefinite strike in protest against the non-acceptance of their demand for proper job opportunities for horticulture and forestry graduates of the university, on Friday.