The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, March 26, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

R E G I O N A L B R I E F S

PUNJAB

AMRITSAR
REVOLVING STAGE: On the occasion of the international Rangmach Day, the ‘Natshala’ theatre will inaugurate a revolving stage on Tuesday. This was stated by Mr Jatinder Singh Brar, managing director of the ‘Natshala’, here on Saturday.

NOMINATED: In a notification, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Environment and Non-Conventional Energy has nominated Dr Ashok Goel of the Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Amritsar, a member of the executive committee of the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology.

PROTEST MARCH: Teachers of the district have called for a protest march against the registration of cases against teachers of Kohali School. The march is slated for March 29 and is supported by an action committee represented by various teachers and employees organisations.

BATHINDA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the All-India National Fertilisers Limited SC/BC/ST and Minority Employees Welfare Association: president — Mr S.S. Kailey; senior vice-president — Mr Lakshman Singh; vice-president — Mr Veer Singh; general secretary — Mr Mangal Singh and treasurer — Mr Vijay Kumar.

DORAHA
CONG MEETING: A meeting of Congress leaders was held under the presidentship of Mr Bant Singh Duburjee. The members collectively criticised the Akali-BJP alliance for its ‘wrong and destructive’ policies. They were of the view that after the ‘Tehelka exposure’, the Central Government had no right to stay in power. Apart from others, the meeting was attended by Mr Sudarshan Kumar ‘Pappu’, President Municipal Council, Mr Surinder Pal Sood, vice-president, Municipal Council, Mr Jaswinder Singh Jassa (MC), Mr Malwinder Singh (MC), Mr Krishan Lal Gupta, Mr Sardara Singh, Mr Ramesh Kumar and Mr Rohit Gupta.

ADIEU TO SENIORS: A series of farewell parties were arranged by the second year students for the final year students of various courses at Guru Nanak National College, Doraha. In the girls’ wing of the college, the students of BA-II bade farewell to BA-III through songs, dances, modelling, choreography and speeches. Similarly the boys of BA-II course gave a warm farewell to their seniors. Commerce students arranged a separate farewell party, for their seniors. Various dance and song items were presented by the students. Modelling and choreography became the main attraction of the show. The seniors in turn thanked their juniors for a warm sand off. Dr Ishwar Singh, president of the College Managing Committee, and Mr Jaswant Singh Gill wished good luck to the outgoing students.

FARIDKOT
CRITICISED: The District Congress Committee (DCC) has criticised the Union Government for implicating Mr Vincent George in an allegedly false disproportionate assets case. This was stated by Mr S.K. Gupta, president of the DCC, here on Saturday.

HOSHIARPUR
ELECTRIC SHOCK: A PSEB lineman, Mr Harbans Lal, received a severe electric shock while working on an electric pole near Arya Samaj here on Saturday. He has been hospitalised.

WELCOMED: Mr Varinder Singh Bajwa, president of the district unit of the SAD, Jathedar Hardev Singh Kothejattan, Chairman, Milk Plant and Mr Jatinder Singh Bajwa, Director, Markfed, have welcomed the hike in the minimum support price of wheat. This was stated in a joint press note issued here on Saturday.

TB DAY: TB Day was observed by the Health Department here on Saturday. A function was organised by the department in this connection. Dr Dalip Kumar, District Health Officer, presided over the function.

KHARAR
TRAINING CAMP: The Punjab Energy Development Agency, Ropar, organised a training camp for solar pump beneficiaries at nearby Ballo Majra village on Saturday. Mr Jagwant Singh Brar, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, inaugurated a solar pump installed in the village.

MEMORIAL CAMP: The eighth Shaheed Bhagat Singh memorial eye operation camp was organised at Civil Hospital here on Friday.

LUDHIANA
KAVI DURBAR: Members of the Triveni Ladies club organised a ‘Hasya-Vyang Kavi Darbar’ and a fancy dress show on Saturday. The participants cracked jokes and recited poems and songs during the darbar. These were six participants in the fancy dress event. It was a basically a talent round in which participants performed on various Hindi numbers like jhoot bole kauaa kate and dummaro dum. After the fancy dress show, members sang various songs on holi, including rang barse, holi aayee re rang layee and e meri zohrajabin. Various surprise gifts were given to the club members. Ms Ruby Chandershekhar, wife of IGP, Punjab, was the chief guest on the occasion.

PAEDIATRICS COURSE: A two-day training course on ‘Paediatric advance life support’, organised by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics concluded here on Sunday. Dr Rajinder Gulati, organising secretary of district branch of the IAP, said that it was a certified course for imparting skills for early recognition and management of life-threatening conditions of children in emergency. Dr Daljit Singh, course coordinator, said that participants in the PALS course had an opportunity to practise emergency techniques such as intra-osseous needle insertion, ventilating a child with a bag valve mask, incubation, umbilical line insertion and cardioversion of a child. Dr Daljit Singh said that after completing the course, the participants were able to define conditions which put a child at risk for cardiopulmonary arrest, describe strategies for preventing it and to identify the effects of multi trauma on the paediatric patient. The organisers said that the idea of the course was to cover the whole country under a network of PALS providers who could take care of life-threatening conditions by early identification and proper treatment.

DMCH EMPLOYEES' UNION: The Employees Union of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital has expressed its concern over the delay in the meeting of the coordination committee for settling disputes regarding promotions, medical allowance and confirmation of services. The president of the union Mr Chander Mohan Kalia said that union should be informed in writing about the promotion scheme of employees. He said that union members did not object over the name of new heart centre. He said, “earlier we had some problems, but these have been sorted out. Our aim is ensure that the members of the union did not suffer anywhere”.

MANSA
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the district PCMS Association: president — Dr Romesh Katodia; vice-president — Dr Sat Pal Bansal; secretary — Dr Naresh Bansal; joint-secretary — Dr Gurdarshan Singh; and treasurer — Dr Dharminder Singh.

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the PWD Field and Workshop Workers Union: president — Mr Bikar Singh; senior vice-president — Mr Karmjit Singh; vice-president — Mr Sukhwinder Singh Khera; general secretary — Mr Karnail Singh Bhikhi; joint-secretary — Mr Nek Singh Joga; and treasurer — Mr Prem Kumar.

STONES LAID: Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of the SAD and Rajya Sabha member, laid the foundation stones of two new roads, one from Laluana to the district administration complex and the other, the Baba Bhai Gurdas link road on Friday.

MELA ORGANISED: A mela was organised in the memory of Baba Dhian Das at Jhunir village in the district on Friday. The families of Kargil martyrs were honoured during the function. The Agriculture Department provided agriculture-based information to the farmers while the Health Department briefed the people on precautionary measures.

NEW BUILDING: Ms Raji P. Shirivastava, Deputy Commissioner, will inaugurate the new building of Kargil Martyrs’ Memorial, Summer Field Public High School, at Guru Nanak Nagar here on April 5. This was stated by the school principal.

NAWANSHAHR
EYE CAMP: The local S.S. Jain Sabha organised its 74th eye operation camp at Jain Kupasara here on Saturday. Mr Jatinder Singh Kariha, MLA, inaugurated the camp. This was stated by Mr Chaman Lal Jain, the chairman of the sabha.

PATIALA
HAILED: Mr Gurdiyal Singh Palondian, Block President, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), praised the decision of the Union Government to increase minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs 30 from the last year’s rate of Rs 580 per quintal to Rs 610 per quintal this year. Mr Plondian felt an estimate amount of wheat production to be around 1.10 crore tonnes this year. He added that if the Agriculture Price Commission reduces the cost of wheat by Rs 60 per quintal then an amount of Rs 660 crores is an estimated loss to the farmers .With this substantial increase in the MSP of wheat recommended by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, now the estimated gain to the farmers is Rs 330 crore. He urged the Punjab Chief Minister to take measures which would further encourage the marketing techniques of the wheat and other crops so that the farmers are not the sufferers under any circumstances.

ANNUAL FUNCTION: The annual function of the Government College of Girls (GCG) was celebrated here on Saturday, amid an aura of festivity and gaiety The function accompanied a colourful cultural programme alongwith distribution of the prizes and college colours to various students. Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Member of Parliament (MP) was the chief guest at the 58th function of the college. He gave 27 role of honours and various college colours were distributed to students from the departments of fine arts, music, dance, NCC and sports. The function also added to its flavour the college’s famous sammi and dhola dance in which the college has won umpteen prizes. Mr Bhunder gave a grant of Rs 5 lakh to the college authorities so that it should flourish more in various other cultural and academic activities.

UNIVERSITY RELEASES CALENDAR: Punjabi University has released the academic calendar for the next session at the University Campus. Giving this information, Dr Kuldip Singh Dhir, Dean, Academic Affairs, has said that the teaching for the current session would be completed by March 31. He added that the examinations would be conducted for the under-graduate courses from April 4 and for the post-graduate courses from April 19 and all the results would be declared by the end of June. The University teaching departments would close for summer vacations from May 14 to July 1 and the new session would start from July 2. The classes would commence from July 10.

CELEBRATIONS: The Department of Theatre and Television of the Punjabi University, in collaboration with the North Zone Cultural Centre, Cultural Department of Punjab Government, Punjabi Academy, Delhi and the Languages Department of Punjab, will celebrate the World Theatre Day at the Punjabi University campus on March 26 and 27. Giving this information, Dr Gurcharan Singh, Head, Department of Theatre and Television, said that in the two-day celebrations, a seminar on ‘Theatre in the 21st Century’ will be organised where various theatre personalities would participate.

SAHNEWAL
SAD(B) OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Tejinder Singh Sandhu has been appointed as president of the local unit of the SAD(B). The decision was taken at a meeting held under the presidentship of Baba Jagroop Singh, circle president. Also Mr Kulwant Singh Kanti was appointed as senior vice-president; Mr Randhir Singh Dheera as vice-president; and Mr Harminder Singh Sandhu as assistant secretary.

CHANDIGARH

BAR COUNCIL HELPS WIDOWS: The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has handed over 31 cheques worth Rs 7.55 lakh to the widows and dependents of deceased advocates as financial help. According to a press note, financial help was also given to two advocates undergoing treatment for serious ailments, one of them being a case of heart surgery. This help is extended by the council from the welfare fund meant for the advocates of Punjab and Haryana. Meanwhile, the Punjab Advocates Act is likely to be passed by Punjab Assembly soon, the press note added.

CAMP: More than 200 persons, including those belonging to the weaker sections of the society, today attended a general check-up medical camp organised by the State Bank of India Personal Banking Branch, in association with Care Health Society, Chandigarh. Free medicines were distributed among the patients. Amar Dramatic Club, Manimajra, mobilised a large number of people for the camp. Mr S.K. Sharma, Chief General Manger, SBI, in his speech highlighted the activities of the bank.

SOUVENIR RELEASES: Former Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Bhajan Lal, released a souvenir on Maharana Pratap here on Sunday. Brought out by the All-India Rajput Students’ Aid Society, the souvenir contains messages from Mr Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur; Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur; Dr Karan Singh; Prof K.N. Pathak; Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University and Mr P.K. Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister. Dr Parduman Singh, president-in-chief of the society, gave a brief account of the work of the society and the souvenir.

OFFICE-BEARERS ELECTED: Following have been elected office-bearers of Kumachal Mahila Pragati Manch: president — Ms Heera Negi; vice-presidents — Ms Bhagwati Negi and Kaushalya Rawat; general secretary — Ms Laxmi Routela; joint secretaries — Ms Nandi Nagarkori and Ms Meenu Vohra, secretary — Ms Janki Gosain and treasure — Ms Kanta Negi.

BONE DENSITY TEST CAMP: A camp on Bone Density test was organised free of cost by the Welfare Society, Sector 45B, Chandigarh on Sunday. Over 200 people were examined by Dr Taneja, orthopaedician ODU was sponsored by Elder Pharma. Welfare Society, Sector 45 in collaboration with State Bank of India, organised the camp.

OFFICE-BEARERS: Mr Amar Singh Randhawa was elected Chairman of the Federation of Diploma Engineers of Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh at a meeting of the body of technocrats held here on Sunday. The new body has been elected for a period of two years. The other office-bearers of the federation are: Mr Avtar Singh Bhatt, senior vice chairman; Mr Tara Singh, vice-chairman; Mr Vishnu Kumar Sharma, secretary general; Mr Swarnjit Singla, office secretary; Mr A.S. Bhandhari, finance secretary; Mr Manjit Singh Gill, coordinating secretary; Mr Pawan Kumar Sharma; press secretary and Mr Daljit Singh Gill; advisor.

BRAHAMAN SABHA: Following have been elected the office bearers of Shri Brahaman Sabha, Chandigarh — president, Mr Ram Prakash Sharma; senior vice-presidents, Mr R.N. Moudgil and Mr O.P. Shukla; vice-presidents, Mr Ram Swarup Bhanot and Mr Amar Nath Rishi; general secretary, Mr Trilok Nath Sharma and joint secretary, Mr Y.P. Tiwari.

PANCHKULA
HOUSE TAX RESENTED: The imposition of house tax, even though no work had been achieved for the formation of the Municipal Council, was criticised by the Residents Welfare Association, Sector 4, here on Saturday. Suggesting that the government announce wards and elections for the Council, rather than concentrating on imposing taxes, the President, Mr Jagjit Soi, in a press note, said that a decision on taxes should be left to the elected representatives of the public. He added that the funds for maintenance and carrying out development works could be met by sharing profits of sales proceeds of commercial properties by HUDA and the council.

BHARAT VIKAS PARISHAD’s BRANCH: A new branch of the Bharat Vikas Parishad was inaugurated at Haripur village in Sector 4, here on Sunday. Inaugurated by the state president of the parishad, Mr Ghansham Sharma, the office-bearers of the new branch were also announced. While Mr Amarjit has been chosen as president, Mr Satbir Malik has been appointed general secretary and Mr Suchha Singh was chosen treasurer.

SAS NAGAR
HEPATITIS-B CAMP: As many as 200 persons were immunized against hepatitis-B at a camp organised by local Rotary Club at HDFC bank in Phase 7 here on Sunday. A team of doctors led by Dr B.S. Chandok, administered the third round of vaccination, which started in September last year.

ELECTED: Mr Amar Singh Randhawa was elected Chairman of the Federation of Diploma Engineers of Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh at a meeting of the body of technocrats held here on Saturday. The other office-bearers of the federation are: Mr Avtar Singh Bhatt — senior vice-chairman; Mr Tara Singh, vice-chairman; Mr Vishnu Kumar Sharma — secretary general; Mr Swarnjit Singla — office secretary; Mr AS Bhandhari — finance secretary; Mr Manjit Singh Gill — coordinating secretary ; Mr Pawan Kumar Sharma — press secretary and Mr Daljit Singh Gill — advisor.