R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

DHURI
INAUGURATED: Mr D.S.Kalha, Commissioner, Patiala division, inaugurated the computerised office of the Sub-Registrar, Sangrur, on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the computerisation of revenue records would ensure transparency, bring about efficiency in the working and thereby ensure better service to the people.

FUNCTION: Mr D.S. Kalha, Commissioner, presided over a prize-distribution function organised at Sangrur by the Department of Small Savings. He also honoured the agents who had shown excellent performance and handed over cheques to various social organisations for the developmental works of various village in the district.

KAPURTHALA
SHOP GUTTED: Electronic items, stationery and books worth several lakhs were destroyed in a fire which broke out in three shops on the Kapurthala-Jalandhar road near a bus stand on Friday. The electronic goods shop was the first to be engulfed in the fire because of a short circuit. The fire spread as some gas cylinders busted in the shop.

LUDHIANA
BOOKED: The police has booked a woman, Anju Nahan, under Section 420, IPC, for fraudulently getting a certificate showing her a member of a Scheduled Caste. According to information, the accused, who is a Brahmin by birth, got married to Varinder Kumar, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste. It is alleged that Nahar got the certificate issued by making a false statement in front of the office tehsildar, Ludhiana.

SEIZED: The police has seized 72 bottles of country-made liquor from Anoop Kumar, who is alleged to have been selling liquor illegally near Sunet village, without a permit or licence. He has been booked under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act.

MOGA
TWO KILLED: Aslam of Kot Isekhan village died on the spot when his scooter collided with a vehicle, 5 km from here, on Moga-Makhu road during the past 24 hours, according to reports. Another scooterist was killed when a truck knocked him down, 55 km from here, on Moga-Ludhiana road, the reports added. The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination.

PATHANKOT
ASSOCIATION: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Surgeons’ Association, Pathankot: president — Dr A.K. Sharma; vice-president — Dr K.P. Gandotra, secretary — Dr Avnish Kumar; joint secretary — R. Joshi; and treasurer — Dr Navneet Kumar.

PATIALA
LECTURE: Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, has been invited to deliver a lecture on Sikhism and the 21st century society and civilisation on April 18 by the University of California in the United States. He will also deliver a lecture on Inter-religious dialogue and inter-community understanding in the context of ethnic and socio-religious problems — A Sikh perspective on April 20 at the same university, according to a press note.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the International Kirtan Council: President — Mr Jagmohan Singh; Vice-President — Mr Jasbir Singh; General Secretary — Mr Harjinder Singh; Secretary — Mr Surjit Singh; and Press Secretary — Mr Amanpreet Singh.

QUIZ: The District Red Cross and Government Girls High School, Anardana Chowk, organised a diet and health awareness quiz and talks on Friday on the occasion of World Health Day. The host school won the quiz. Mr Vijay Kumar Goel, Honorary Vice-President, Red Cross, and Dr Bharat Bhushan spoke on the occasion.

CONDEMNED: The International Kirtan Council on Friday condemned the killing of 35 Sikhs in Chatti Singhpora. It called upon different religious communities to maintain communal amity.

CHANDIGARH

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Shri Sanatan Dharam Sankirtan Parchar Mandal: President — Mr Harmesh Chand Sharma; Vice-President — Mr Jagdish Pal Sareen; General Secretary — Ms Kamla Varma; Secretary — Mr S.K. Kansal; and Treasurer — Mr P.C. Rohila.

RAM NAVMI: A three-day Shri Ram Katha, sankirtan and discourses to mark Ram Navmi celebrations will start at the Sector 22 Nehru Park on Sunday. The programme is being organised by the local unit of Shri Ram Nam Sumrin Satsang Sabha. According to Mr Ashok Arora, Press Secretary of the sabha, there will be a joint recitation of Shri Sundarkand Path at 4 pm.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the GIC Employees Union: President — Mr Surinder Singh; Vice-Presidents — Mr Mohan Lal and Mr Dharamvir Kharb; General Secretary — M.R. Choudhary; Joint Secretaries — Mr Jeet Bhmbla and Ms Neelam Khullar; Organising Secretary — Dr Matvar Singh Meet; and Cashier — Mr Naresh Kumar.

SAS NAGAR
REMANDED: Three members of the Godrej-GE Employees Union, who were arrested by the police for assaulting an employee of the factory, were remanded in judicial custody by a Kharar court on Friday. The dharna by the union in support of its demands entered its 157th day.

RALLY: The Punjab State AIDS Control Society organised a rally of school children from the civil dispensary in Phase 7 to the civil dispensary in Phase 9 on Friday to create awareness on AIDS and blood safety. As many as 400 students participated. A poster competition and street plays were also held.

HARYANA

KAITHAL
TRAFFIC BLOCKED: Agitated villagers blocked traffic on the Kaithal-Karnal road near Mundri village on Friday. They were protesting against the inaction of the PWD authorities to repair a damaged wall of a bridge on the Sirsa canal near Mundri.

KURUKSHETRA
ELECTED: Mr Jai Narain Sharma, a local resident, has been elected trustee of the Gita Bhavan Trust here, according to a letter by Mr S.P. Khetrapal of Patiala, another trustee, here on Thursday.

ROHTAK
Demand: The district unit of the All-India Krishak Khet Majdoor Sanghathan has demanded that power bills of farmers and village artisans having less than 5 acres be waived. This was stated by Mr Anoop Singh, secretary of the organisation, here on Friday.

SONEPAT
ONE KILLED: Vivek (19), alias Vikki, was killed on the spot and his mother Santosh Devi, a school teacher, was injured when their motor cycle was hit by a jeep on the Gohana-Kharkhauda road, 25 km from here, on Friday. The victim belonged to Bhainswal Kalan village and was coming from Makrauli village in Rohtak district. A case has been registered.

NO POWER SUPPLY: Sonepat and its suburbs remained without power for an hour between 12 noon and 1 p.m. on Friday following the power supply being switched off without any prior notice.

NEW POLICE STATIONS: The Haryana Government has approved the opening up of three new police stations in the district in view of the increasing incidence of crimes. This was stated by Dr John V George, Inspector-General of Police, Rohtak range, while addressing a press conference on the premises of the PWD (B&R) rest house at Rai, 15 km from here, on Friday.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

NAHAN
SIRMOURI DRESS: In a press note issued here on Thursday, Mr Jeet S Kathware, general secretary, Hati Samiti, Sirmour, appealed to all heads of schools situated in the trans-Giri area of the district to introduce traditional Sirmouri (Hati) dress in their schools.

WATER RESOURCES: As many as 89 water sources in Sirmour district have been provided with roofs at a cost of Rs 13 lakh to provide potable water in rural areas. This was stated by Mr Rakesh Kaushal, Deputy Commissioner, here on Thursday while presiding over a meeting of officers to discuss measures for the prevention of water-borne diseases.

PARWANOO
MEET: The local Himachal Primary School, run by the trustees of the Anand Group of Industries, organised a parent-teachers meet here on Friday. The aim of the meet was to make parents aware regarding healthy and all-round growth of child. Mr Kohli, Vice-President (HRD) of the Anand Group of Industries, addressed the gathering of parents. The emphasised that the parents and the teachers should act like an “Integrated Unit” for the healthy growth of child.

UNA
NSS CAMP: A 10-day NSS camp by the local Government Senior Secondary School for Girls was held at Kotla Kalan village, 5 km from here. During the camp girls educated villagers about pollution, bad effects of liquor, etc.