The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, January 13, 2002, 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

BATHINDA
PASSPORT ADALAT: Mr R. Venkatratnam, Deputy Commissioner, has said the passport adalat, to be held here on Saturday, had been cancelled. He said applicants, should now contact the Regional Passport Office at Chandigarh.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Giani Mehar Singh ‘Bir’ Memorial Trust of Chak Ruldu Singhwala village: Patron — Mr Bhupinder Singh Sidhu: adviser — Mr Atarjit Miter; chariman — Mr Harpal Singh Cheem; general secretary — Mr Jagjit Singh; and finance secretary — Master Gyan Singh Machana.

DERA BASSI
LOHRI CELEBRATIONS: Students and staff members of Deepmala Public School celebrated Lohri with enthusiasm here on Saturday. The function started with a “Swarswati vandana” which was followed with giddha and bhangra. Various colourful events were also presented by the students to mark the festival, according to Ms Anita Mittal, Principal of the school.

BLOOD DONATED: About 150 units of blood was collected at the blood donation camp held at Government College, Sector 46. The blood donation camp was organised by the Lions Club Chandigarh Greater in association with the college. The local MP, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, and Director IT, Mr Vivek Atray, were present on the occasion.

JAGRAON
KILLED: Ravi (22), an employee at a liquor shop located on the Galib Kalan Road, was killed when he was hit by a car (PB-5G-1767). Ravi was going to his house on his moped when the mishap took place.

KHARAR
ELECTED: Mr Anil Kaushiq, advocate, was elected president of the local Bar Association in an election held here on Saturday. He secured 62 votes as compared to 34 votes by Mr Jeewan Singh. Earlier, Mr Jasdip Singh, was elected vice-president and Mr Hukam Singh as secretary.

LUDHIANA
HONOURED: Ms Charanjit Kaur Gill, president, District Akali Jatha (Women Wing), was presented a Maruti car in recognition of her services to the ‘panth’ and the party. Mr Mann Singh Garcha, senior vice-president, District Akali Jatha (Rural), handed over the keys of the car at a function held at the Gill road here on Friday evening. Speaking at this occasion, Mr Garcha expressed confidence that Ms Gill would continue to mobilise the women in support of SAD. Prominent among others present at the function were Mr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, state delegate, Mr Jatinder Pal Singh Saluja, general secretary, District Akali Jatha, Mr Malook Singh, Mr Avtar Singh Azad, Mr Ranjit Singh Khasla, Mr Surjit Singh Walia, Mr Tehal Singh Dhanjal, Member, local Gurdwara Committee, Mr Harvinder Singh Lally, Mr Hardeep Singh Beera, Mr Damandeep Singh Saluja, Mr Gurcharan Singh Natti and Mr Charanjit Singh.

NOMINATED: Mr Mehar Singh Devgan, an activist of Janata Dal (United), has been named the party candidate for Ludhiana Rural assembly seat. Giving this information, the chairman of the Parliamentary Board of the party, Mr Sukhchain Singh Tuli, said the party would contest in 20 seats in the coming assembly elections in Punjab. A meeting of the board has been convened here on January 15 when the names of the party candidates for all the seats would be formally announced.

MEETING: Attwad Peerit Pariwar Bhalai Sanstha, a body of the terrorist affected families, has lamented the apathy and indifference of the part of the state government towards their genuine demands. The District President, Ms Mohinder Kaur, said in a statement here on Saturday that a meeting of the sanstha would be held in Jahaz Wala Park in Mini Secretariat here on January 18 to discuss the pending demands and to evolve a strategy to put pressure on the government.

PROTEST RALLY: The district units of Adhiyapak Dal, Punjab, and the Government Teacher Union have decided to hold a protest rally by all teacher community on January 16. This was decided here at a meeting of the unions that a protest rally is necessary for protesting against the misconduct by Mr Bhajan Singh and Joginder Azad and their companions with the women teachers on November 22. The president of union, Ludhiana, Mr Fakeer Sharma, said, “It has also been decided at the meeting that teacher would demand from the administration to consider their memorandum given on December 12 and implement it as soon as possible.”

MANSA
PROHIBITORY ORDER: The District Magistrate, Ms Raji P. Srivastava, has imposed restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in the district till March 10. Prior permission of Subdivisional Magistrate concerned is necessary for using loudspeakers. All printers, publishers and nominees for Assembly constituencies have been directed to follow the provisions of Section 127-A of the Representation of People Act, 1951. Election pamphlets, posters and handbills should be printed and published according to the provisions of the Act.

NAWANSHAHR
DELEGATION: A delegation of teachers working in government middle schools in the district under Plan 1.12 and the Blackboard Scheme, met the DPI (Schools), Mr Jagtar Singh Khatra, and apprised him of the plight of teachers who have not been given salary for the past couple of months. The delegation urged the DPI to release the salary.

SAD TICKET: Local SAD leaders have urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to allot the SAD ticket from Nawanshahr to Mr Mohinder Singh Hussainpur, SGPC member. They said 70 sarpanches, 20 municipal councillors and a number of employees and social organisations had signed a memorandum in this regard.

SEMINAR: A Two-day seminar on National Green Corps Programme organised by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh concluded here on Friday. As many as 100 school teachers were given information on how to constitute “eco-clubs” in schools.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the Lions Club, Charan Kanwal, Banga: President — Mr Sanjiv Bhardwaj; Secretary — Mr Avtar Singh; and Treasurer — Mr Naresh Kumar.

DHARNA: Commission agents staged a dharna in front of a rice mill at Rahon on Friday against non-release of payment for paddy by the government. The agents owe payment to farmers. According to them not paying the farmers had adversely affected the trade in the region.

PATHANKOT
SWEATERS DISTRIBUTED: A local social organisation, Helpline, distributed sweaters and shoes among students at a function held in Banilodhi village on Friday. In another function, Brig. Shamsher Singh inaugurated a sewing centre for women at the local Nirankari Bhavan.

SALARY NOT PAID: Twenty teachers, who were recently appointed and posted at various upgraded middle schools, have not been paid their salary and other emoluments since August last year. They have urged the government to release their salary immediately.

SHAHEEDI SAMAROH: The sixth “shaheedi samaroh” of Lieut Gurdeep Singh Salaria, who died on January 9, 1996, while fighting terrorists at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir was organised on Thursday at Taragarh. The father of the martyr Lieut-Col Sagar Singh Salaria, distributed blankets and clothes to the needy.

PATIALA
HEART DISEASES: Punjabis are more prone to heart malfunctions due to excessive intake of fat in their diet, according to Dr Achaintya Moulick, who addressed a press conference along with Dr Jagmohan Varma from Fortis Heart Institute at a hotel here on Saturday. Dr Jagmohan pointed out that cases of heart malfunction in people below 40 years of age had increased alarmingly due to intense psychological stress.

TARN TARAN
DENTAL CAMP: A dental awareness camp was organised by the Health Department at Government Girls Senior Secondary School on Wednesday. More than 100 teachers of the school were told about dental diseases.

SEMINAR: A seminar on female foeticide was organised on Wednesday at the Civil Hospital under the presidentship of Dr Karanjit Singh, SMO. Doctors and those having the ultrasound facility were given information about the PNDT Act and urged to check the imbalance between the male-female sex ratio in Punjab.

BOOKED: The Sarhali police has booked Harjinder Kaur, her sister Sukhwinder Kaur and brother-in-law Lakha Singh on a complaint of her husband Balwinder Singh who had alleged that Harjinder Kaur had got an abortion without his consent.

MORPHINE SEIZED: The Patti police has seized 1,800 morphine injections from Rajesh Kumar, resident of Moga, who was allegedly selling them in the area. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered.

CASE REGISTERED: On the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Chabal police registered a case against eight persons of Manochahal Kalan village on Friday for allegedly killing Kulwinder Singh, resident of the same village.

ATTEMPTED MURDER: Naranjan Kaur, resident of Dhotian village, allegedly tried to kill her daughter-in-law Sukhwant Kaur on Thursday by burning her. Sukhwant Kaur has been admitted to the local Civil Hospital where she is said to be out of danger. A case has been registered.

NABBED: Wildlife Department officials have nabbed Gurdeep Singh Cheema and Surinder, both residents of Harike village, for fishing at the Harike Birds Sanctuary. Two boats, a net and 6 kg of fish were seized from them. In another case, Surinder Kaur, a domestic help, was booked for stealing Rs 7,000 from the house of her employer.

ZIRAKPUR
LOHRI AT TRIMURTI: A function was organised by students of Trimurti Public School, Modern Enclave, Baltana, to mark Lohri on its premises on Sunday. Mr Sachidanand Sharma, president of the Trimurti Child Welfare and Educational Society, was the chief guest. Addressing the students, he highlighted the importance of the festival. Mr Bhanu Dutt Sharma, Principal of the school, and teachers took part in the celebrations. Students danced around the bonfire which was lit after performing “Lohri puja”. They also presented a colourful programme.