R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

RAIDED: A police party led by Sub-Inspector Manjit Singh raided the house of Amardeep Sehgal, alias Kaka, alleged kingpin of satta in Mohalla Kamalpur here and seized Rs 50,090 in cash, some satta slips, account books and note books pertaining to names of satta agents. This was stated by Mr Sanjeev Kalra, SSP. A case under Sections 13A, 3 and 67 of the Gambling Act has been registered.

LUDHIANA
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS: Net Cradle that creates online tutorials in English, mathematics, both in England and Ludhiana celebrated its first anniversary at a local hotel on Saturday. A prayer dance by Heena Gupta was well received. Raman Vij, a local designer, presented his fall and winter collection.

MACHHIWARA
BANK MEETING: A meeting was held at the local branch of Ludhiana Central Co-operative Bank on Sunday to observe Borrowers’ Day. The farmers were made aware of various facilities provided by the bank, including Co-operative Bank Insurance Plan, composite/ integrated loans up to Rs 15 lakh, vehicular loans up to Rs 6 lakh, cash-credit limit for traders up to Rs 10 lakh, farmers, cash-credit limit up to Rs 3 lakh, crop loans, and loans for consumer goods. They were assured of loans in the shortest period possible without any formalities.

PROBE SOUGHT: Mr Rachhpal Singh, a resident of Kotala village near here, on Sunday sought a probe into the gram panchayat’s activities through a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana. He claimed that though he had lodged a complaint on January 30 to the BDPO, Machhiwara, and on March 27 to the DDPO, Ludhiana, no action had been taken. He alleged that the sarpanch and the panchayat secretary had turned a blind eye towards encroachments on shamlat land.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
‘RELEASE SUBSIDY’: Punjab Scheduled Castes Corporation has sanctioned loans worth Rs 15 crore and the amount has been deposited with the banks, but the government has failed to release the subsidy sanctioned for the beneficiaries, due to which the banks cannot issue loans to the persons concerned. This was stated by Mr Dalip Singh Pandhi, a former Punjab Minister, at Kumbh village on Sunday. He urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to get the subsidy released at the earliest and to provide free domestic power supply to scheduled caste households.

NAWANSHAHR
CUSTOMERS’ MEET: A customers’ meet was organised at the local Central Cooperative Bank (evening branch) on Saturday. Mr J.P. Singh Chadda, branch manager, said the branch had deposits amounting to Rs 6.50 crore and had disbursed loans amounting to Rs 3 crore among beneficiaries under various schemes of the bank during the last financial year.

ACADEMIC SESSION: The new academic session of Sikh National College, Banga, 13 km from here, was inaugurated by Mr Sukhdev Singh Libra, MP, on Saturday. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to be given in two instalments for the college. Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, secretary, local managing committee, and Mr H.S. Ahuja, Principal of the college, also spoke.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS DIPLOMA: Mr GS Sandhu, officiating Principal of the local D.A.N. College of Education for Women, in a press note here on Sunday informed that Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, had granted permission to the college to start Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications from this academic session.

MEETING HELD: A subdivision-level meeting of the Free Legal Services Authority was held at the judicial complex, Balachaur, about 20 km from here, on Saturday. Mr Jai Karan Mattu, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Chairman of the authority, emphasised the need for creating awakening among the masses regarding free legal aid schemes.

PATIALA
DEAD: Daljit Kaur (46), wife of Mr Jagdeep Singh Chauhan, former joint director of the State Public Relations Department, died here on Sunday. She is survived by her husband, two daughters and one son. She was confined to the bed and died during sleep. 

TRAINING CONCLUDES: The four-day All Round Training in Excellence (ART Excel) programme concluded at SOS Children’s Village, Rajpura, near here on Sunday. The programme was conducted by Ms Vandana and organised by Ms Satinder Kaur, teacher of The Art of Living. Over 50 students between the age group of 8 to 16 years took part in the programme. The training programme focussed mainly on yoga and pranayama, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and meditation. 

PHAGWARA
INAUGURATED: Students should befriend books, develop reading and work culture and have high regards for teachers. This was stated by writer and columnist Piara Singh Bhogal, who is also an acting president of the local Guru Nanak College, while speaking at the inaugural function of the new academic session of the college here on Saturday. Mr Paramjit Singh Sethi, an industrialist donated Rs 21,000 to the college.

SAMRALA
DURGA ASHTAMI CELEBRATIONS: Sant Raghbir Dass, who has reportedly been on fast for the past two years in the grain market, Samrala, and surviving only on a cup of tea daily, has decided to celebrate “Durga Ashtami” on July 27. A fair is held in the town every year on this occasion. Besides ‘bhandara’, ‘yajna’ and other religious programmes, a wrestling competition (Greco-Roman style) is held, in which wrestlers from Delhi, Haryana, UP and HP take part.

BKU DEMAND: The Bharti Kisan Union, in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr Netar Singh Nagara, the district president of the party, urged the state government to write off the loans standing against farmers, pleading that inability to pay the money back had forced many of them to commit suicide. Mr Nagara questioned the logic of putting the farmers behind bars when the government had written off industrialists’ loans worth Rs 40 crore.

SHOOTING BEGINS: The shooting of Punjabi serial ‘Naseehat’ presently being telecast by Doordarshan, was held at Bondli village, near Samrala. Assistant Director, Mr Rajwinder Samrala, said Mr Raghbir Kaur Khaira, SDM, Samrala, inaugurated the shooting by breaking open a green coconut. The scene sequences of artists, including Yash Sharma, Saroop Parinda, Nirmal Rijin, Rajwinder, Rano Gill, and Parmod Kalia, were also taken. The producer cum-director, Mr Avtar Verma, said the serial was a step to remove social evils.

PENSION CAMPS: The Punjab Government has decided to organise old age and widow pension camps in villages keeping in view the hardships faced by the old people, said Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, members of the SGPC, here on Sunday. Talking to mediapersons at his residence, Mr Khirnian said that 125 old persons were given pension at Beeja village in a simple function organised on Sunday.

SMALLPOX RUMOUR: The Tarksheel Society, Samrala, through its general secretary, Mr Paramjit Singh Balion, has urged the general public not to believe any rumours spread in the area. It is widely rumoured that whosoever does not tie a thread on his wrist, will perish due to smallpox. The society has challenged any person to prove the veracity of the rumour.

URGED: The House Owners Welfare Society has urged the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority to implement the proposal to check flooding of low-lying areas in Phase 5. Mr Albel Singh, general secretary of the association, said during the recent rains, flood water from Phases 1, 2 and 4 and Madanpura village had entered the low-lying houses in Phase 5. 

CHANDIGARH

OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local Punjab State Accounts Services Association. Patron — Mr Kashmir Singh Pahra; president — Mr H.C. Dhiman; senior vice-president — Mr Ashok Bhatia; vice-president — Mr P.K. Pandit; general secretary — Mr Nirmal Singh; and joint secretary — Mr Balwinder Singh. 

HARYANA

KALKA
COMPENSATION: The Red Cross Society has decided to pay Rs 15,000 each to the dependents of the two labourers, who died when a wall collapsed here on Thursday. SDM Sushil Sarwan stated this here on Friday. Mohan Lal died on the spot while Munna died after reaching the PGI in Chandigarh. The SDM said the injured had been given Rs 5,000. He said relatives of the deceased had been informed and financial aid would be given to them on their arrival here. However, the Majdoor Union performed the last rites of the deceased. The police has registered a case under Sections 304-A and 337 against Jagjit Singh, in whose house the labourers were working. Another two, who were injured, were under treatment at the PGI, Chandigarh. 

PANIPAT
IMPACT-01: A seminar-cum-workshop — IMPACT-01, was organised by the management of the N.C. College of Engineering, Israna, on its campus here on Saturday. The focus of the camp was on placement and employment opportunities for young engineers. Mr Adesh Gupta, Executive Director of the Liberty Groups of Companies was chief guest. He highlighted the requirement of the industries. The Chairman of the management committee of the college, Mr Dharam Vir Gupta, and the Principal of the college, Dr B.L. Sharma, also spoke.

SONEPAT
OFFICE-BEARERS: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Haryana Balmiki Mahasabha: president — Mr Narinder Singh; vice-presidents — Mr Dharampal and Mr Bal Krishan; general secretary — Mr Charan Singh Sauda; and treasurer — Mr Samsher Singh.

BEATEN UP: Anand, a driver of the Chairman of the local Municipal Council, was allegedly beaten up by two employees in the office of the council here on Saturday. An FIR has been registered in this connection.

ORDERS: The Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Kharkhauda, has issued an order asking the sarpanch of Gopalpur village to hand over the charge within three days. She reportedly has more children than prescribed by the government for members of the Panchayati Raj institutions.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

BILASPUR
DECLAMATION CONTEST: Kumar Gaurav was declared first, Mayank second and Rashmi third in a district-level declamation contest, organised by the Health Department here on Friday. Chief Medical Officer, Dr M.L. Mahajan, presided over the function.