The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, June 10, 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

FATEHGARH SAHIB
AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: An AIDS awareness campaign is going on in the district which will continue up to Friday. There are 80 medical teams working in the rural and slum areas to detect cases of sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive tract infections. In all 100 camps will be organised. Family health cards are being prepared and medicines are being provided to the needy.

FEROZEPORE
SEIZED: Mr Harchand Singh Sidhu, SSP, CIA staff, Zira said the police had seized 50 bags of poppy husk from a truck abandoned by smugglers near the Bangaliwala bridge. It had also seized 45.90 kg of poppy husk and arrested Nagar Singh, Veena, Sukhwinder Kaur and Banta Singh on the charge of drug trafficking in separate operations last week.

GARSHANKAR
ONE KILLED: Subedar Sohan Singh of Mehengrowal was killed and his nephew, Chhinderpal Singh injured when their scooter collided with a Tata Sumo near Saila Khurd. on Friday. The driver of the Tata Sumo is absconding.

HOSHIARPUR
DHARNA HELD: Medical and paramedical employees of the Primary Health Centre, Chakowal, on Friday held a dharna in front of the office of the local Civil Surgeon in protest against the apathetic attitude of the police in arresting the culprits who attached a Senior Medical officer, Dr Gurdial Singh. They handed over a memorandum to the State Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Ms Mohinder Kaur Josh, demanding her intervention in the matter.

JALANDHAR
ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the divisional body of the All-India Retired Railwaymen Federation: president — Mr A. D. Mahajan; secretary — Mr Muwha Singh and treasurer Mr Dewan Singh.

ARRESTED: The vigilance squad on Thursday arrested Roop Lal, junior engineer with Punjab State Electricity Board, posted at Khera Dona subdivision, on a charge of taking a bribe of Rs 1,000 from Gurdip Singh of Bhano Langa village for changing his defective domestic meter. This was stated by Mr Rajwant Kumar, DSP (Vigilance).

KAPURTHALA
TAKES OVER: Mr Vivek Aggarwal has taken over as the new Deputy Commissioner. He replaced Mr VK Singh, who has been transferred.

KHANNA
ABDUCTORS ARRESTED: The Khanna police has claimed to have arrested two abductors and got a woman released from their captivity. According to Dr Rajinder Namdeo Dhoke, some persons had abducted a woman, Mohinder Kaur, along with a milkman, Gurdip Singh, from Boani village, about 25 km from here, on June 3. Later Gurdip Singh was released by them near Ajnod village. He informed the police that seven persons, namely Kulveer Singh, Kuldip Singh, Gurcharan Singh of Chuslewarh village, Charanjit Singh of Firozepore, Jagjit Singh Sonu, Bikramjit Singh Dhotian and Bikram Singh of Jalandhar, had abducted Mohinder Kaur. She was got released from their captivity by the police from the house of Kulveer Singh of Thoo village in Amritsar district. Kulveer Singh and Gurnam Singh wree arrested and a case under Sections 458, 364, 148 and 149 of the IPC was registered. Later, Mohinder Kaur informed that her abductors wanted her to talk to her husband in Malaysia, regarding some matter, but he was not available on telephone.

LUDHIANA
FIVE-DAY WORKSHOP: A five-day workshop on latest trends in hair styles, make-up, skin care, haircare and different types of saree drapping concluded at a local beauty clinic, here on Friday. According to Mrs Indra Ahluwalia, director of the institute, over 70 college going girls and housewives took part in the workshop. Participants were told about latest techniques of make-up, hairstyles skin care, proper care of hair, use of serums, tonics, shampoos and different types of saree drapping.

CULTURAL FESTIVAL: The Maha Sabha, a social welfare organisation, will organise a cultural drama festival at Government High School, Sanet, on Saturday in the memory of Gaddar Lehar martyr, Baba Bhan Singh Sunet. Stating this in a press note, Col J.S. Brar, president of the organisation, said that Mr Gursharan Singh, a Punjabi dramatist, and his team would enact the drama. Mr Kanwaljit Singh Khanna, president, Punjab Lok Sabhyacharak Manch, would pay homage to the martyrs. Besides, music, choreography and other programmes would also be held during the festival, said Col Brar.

ELEVATED ROAD: Amidst confrontation from residents and shopkeepers, several local organisations have come in favour of the proposed elevated road project from Chand Cinema to Jagraon Bridge. These include Maha Sabha, Inqlabi Kendra, Naujawan Sabha, Bhai Ghanaiyaji Samaj Sewi Sanstha, Jamhuri Adhikari Sabha, Democratic Teachers’ Front, Moulder and Steel Workers Union. In a joint press note released by the presidents of these organisations, it has been stated that its construction would streamline the traffic in the area. They said that the arguments put forward by the opposers of the project were all vague and, therefore, no further delay in construction should be made.

MUSIC COMPANY: Moon Records Private Entertainment Limited has launched a Punjabi music record company to encourage Punjabi music and give a chance to new talent. The maiden album of Moon Records ‘Jeeto’, sung by Romi Gill, has been a hit. Its directors are Mr Thind, Mr Inderjit Gill, Mr Kunal Sareen and Mr J.S. Dhindsa.

POLICE REMAND: Four alleged members of a gang of swindlers who used to get a car financed on basis of fake documents were on Friday presented in the court of Mr Ashok Kapoor, Judicial Magistrate, (first class) by the Sarabha Nagar police. Public prosecutor demanded 10-day police remand. The court ordered only two-day police remand of the accused. Four alleged members of the gang Kamal Kant, Roopinder Singh Ruby, Sarabjit Singh and Darshan Singh were nabbed by the police from BRS Nagar, Ludhiana.

MOGA
OFFICERS' MEETINGS: The district administration has decided to convene meetings of officers of the office of the Deputy Commissioner on every 1st day of the month under the sangat darshan programme. Stating this here on Friday, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kanwal Bir Singh Sidhu, urged the people to bring to his notice all their problems.

KILLED: One person was killed and three were injured when a car in which they were travelling, collided with a tractor near here on the Grand Trunk road on Friday. In another accident two youths were seriously injured when their scooter collided with a truck near here, on the Grand Trunk road on Friday.

NAWANSHAHR
CHEQUES DISTRIBUTED: Mr Jagjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner and Mr Nand Lal, MLA, Balachaur, distributed cheques worth Rs 35 lakh among 23 panchayats for carrying out various development works at a function organised at the BDPO office, Saroya, about 20 km from here, on Friday. The Chief Minister had announced grants to the Saroya block panchayats during a sangat darshan programme.

DRIVE: The district Health Department, under its AIDS awareness drive, organised a programme at nearby Dopalpur village on Thursday. Dr Ram Lubhaya Sharma, Civil Surgeon, Dr AS Gill, District Health officer, and Dr HS Gill were among others who addressed the gathering. This was stated in a press note here on Friday.

LOW VOLTAGE: Mr Satish Charan Tejpal, former president of the district unit of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, in a press note here on Friday said residents of the local Bhucheran mohalla had been facing a lot of inconvenience due to low voltage for the past couple of weeks. He alleged that officials concerned were not paying any heed despite repeated complaints.

PATHANKOT
ROBBED: Mr Ajay Arora who was travelling along with his wife and children in his car was robbed of Rs 2 lakh, some documents, and a mobile phone by four persons near Ranchi Motor, Damtal, about 8 km from here, on Thursday. An FIR has been registered.

BURGLED: Burglars broke into the house of Major KD Singh at TCP colony, Mamoon, and stole 175 gm of gold ornaments and Rs 10,000. A case has been registered.

PATIALA
HONOURED: Acupressure has been proved to be very effective for the treatment of various disorders in the body functioning, said Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Deputy Commissioner, while honouring the expert in the acupressure therapy, Mr Diwan Aspran Nabi. Mr Bir said that acupressure treatment is so effective that it can cure even those diseases which sometimes is incurable by allopathic and other systems of medicines. He added that the treatment by this process does not even have any side-effects and is purely safe for any age group. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nabi said that he has cured many patients through this treatment. He said that in the treatment, a particular part of body is pressed which relieves the tension prevailing in that part and thereby easing the problem of the patient.

CONDEMNED: The Punjab Welfare Council at a meeting on Saturday strongly condemned the cruel act of female foeticide. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Harish Singla, a member of the council, said efforts were being initiated by the council to take every possible step to curb this practice. Mr Singla said strict action would now be taken against those doctors who undertake such operations and carry out the tests for sex detection. He said that if the practice is not stopped within a span of month, the council will hold dharnas in front of the shops having ultrasound machines. The council members observed that the practice is on tremendous increase these days especially in the town and the prime accusers are the doctors and organisation who undertake such operations.

DEMAND: The Punjab Pensioners Association discussed the demands of the pensioners at a meeting on Saturday held at Red Cross Hall here. Releasing a press note, Mr H.S. Sodhi, president of the association, demanded the release of DA installment due from January 1, 2001, enhance of medical allowance from Rs 250 to Rs 500, acceptance of recommendations of the 4th Punjab Pay Commission and pension rates at par with the Central Government employees for those who retired before December 31, 1995.

PHAGWARA
APPOINTED: Mr Ram Sarup Arora has been appointed special invitee to the state executive of the Punjab unit of the BJP. Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, president, Punjab unit of the BJP, has made the appointment, according to a press note issued here on Friday.

PHILLAUR
SUICIDE: Gogi, a married woman, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at the local Indira colony on Friday, following a quarrel with her husband. A case under Section 306, IPC, has been registered.

ROPAR
BANNED: The District Magistrate, Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal through an order issued under Section 144 of the Cr PC, has banned the running of commercial establishments on roads and at public places between 12 midnight and 4.30 a.m. in the district. This order, however, will not apply to coffee shops and restaurants in hotels. The cyber cafes are allowed to be opened up to 2 a.m. on all days while restaurants, pubs and disco clubs are allowed to be opened up to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

SAHNEWAL
ONE LAKH FOR VILLAGE: Jathedar Heera Singh Gabria, an MLA, has extended a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the development of Gobindgarh village. Criticising the state government, the MLA said, “Mr Parkash Singh Badal has failed to provide a clean administration. He has not lived up to the expectations of the common man. Corruption and nepotism are scaling new heights with every passing day.”

GRANTED: Jathedar Sadhu Singh Ghudani, MLA of Payal, has granted Rs 6 lakh for the development of Ajnaud village. He said that Badal Government had left no stone unturned for the development for the upliftment of rural areas of Punjab. The villagers have heaved a sigh of relief during the SAD-BJP rule. The village panchayat was given cheques worth Rs 3 lakh for the construction of primary school building, Rs 2.50 lakh for the construction of houses for Dalits and Rs 50,000 for the construction of streets and proper water drainage system.

HARYANA

AMBALA
DEAD: A Congress municipal councillor, Mr Shri Ram died on Saturday. He was 62. Mr Ram, who is from the Lal Kurti area, had complained of uneasiness this morning. He was rushed to the hospital where he breathed his last. He was cremated at Ram Bagh this evening. Among others, MLA Mr Anil Vij, Mr Randhir Chaudhary, Mr Hira lal Yadav, Mr Darshan Lal Budhiraja, Mr Suresh Garg, Pandit Shankar Dass, Mr K.K. Jain and Mr Shish Pal Bhola were present.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND: a delegation of the National Federation of the Blind met the Haryana Chief Minister and apprised him of their various demands. A memorandum was submitted to Mr Chautala, who assured them that their demands will be looked into. The demands include the posts for blind must be filled up and the physically challenged must be exempted from rural service. The physically challenged must be given at least Rs 400 as travelling allowance and the teachers at Panipat must be given equal pay, a release said.

PROBLEMS HIGHLIGHTED: Around 150 people submitted their grievances to Irrigation Minister Jaswinder Singh Sandhu presiding over the meeting of the District Grievance Committee here on Saturday. Most of the problems were related to roads, electricity, encroachment and drinking water. The minister directed the concerned officers to take appropriate action on the application submitted by the people. OC

KILLED: One person was killed here on Saturday when he was run over by a train near Ambala City. The deceased, identified as Amolak, was rushed to Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

SONEPAT
OPEN DARBAR: A weekly open darbar was organised on the premises of the Panchayat Bhawan here on Friday. Eighty complaints were disposed of. The Deputy Commissioner took a serious note of the absentee officials and they were summoned on the telephone for attending the darbar.

PROBE URGED: Panches and residents of Jhunjdpur Tanda village on Saturday demanded a high-level probe into the use of substandard material in the construction of a nullah at the village. They reportedly submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner in this regard.

INAUGURATED: Mr S.N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated a kisan welfare club here on Friday. He called upon the farmers to switch to cash crops instead of sowing paddy and other crops.

SHOT DEAD: Sher Singh (30), alias Shera, of Badhana village was shot dead by four car-borne persons near City Hospital on the Sonepat-Gohana road on Friday. A land dispute was reported to be the cause of the murder. A case has been registered.

YAMUNANAGAR
CHALLANED: The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals impounded six trucks carrying buffaloes and calves at the Jagadhri-Saharanpur road on Saturday. Dr Joginder Singh, secretary of the society, said the trucks were challaned and a fine of Rs 60,000 imposed on the owners.